Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
348. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 312 of 23 April 2024, if she will provide an update on the school application (details supplied) for an ASD unit considering the application was submitted in July 2022; when it is expected that a judgement will be given on the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19337/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority in question
The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or the requirement for a new class for pupils with special education needs has been identified by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.
The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.
As the Deputy will be aware, on foot of an assessment of the ASA application from the school, advice was sought from my Department's professional and technical section. This advice has been provided and my officials are considering options for the school in question. My officials will be in contact with the school authorities at the earliest possible time in this regard.
