Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The expansion of capacity at special schools is an important priority for me, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan and my Department.

I know this is an absolute priority for the Deputy and indeed for Councillor Burgess. Both of them have raised this consistently with me. The Deputy raised it when he became a Member of the House and when I entered this position. I wanted to acknowledge that and his support for this school.

My Department has been working closely with the school in question on an ongoing basis to assess its accommodation requirements with respect to classrooms and ancillary accommodation to determine the most appropriate delivery mechanism for meeting that overall need. As part of that process, my Department’s team have undertaken a number of site visits to the school and met the school authority. Back in 2023 the Department approved the provision of modular accommodation of four classrooms for the school in question to cater for its immediate needs and I am pleased to say this accommodation was completed in 2024. Following analysis by my Department and engagement with the school authority, I am pleased to confirm the accommodation brief for the remaining 14 classrooms and associated ancillary accommodation has recently being issued to the school authority for its approval. My Department considers that this accommodation could be delivered for the school with the support of the project managers under the Department’s timber frame modular framework. As this is a very significant project that will add capacity and transform facilities for the school my Department will engage extensively with the school leaders to ensure we can roll this out as soon as possible.

The Deputy will also be aware my Department will be establishing a new special school in Nenagh as part of its broader forward planning for additional special school places. To my colleague's comments earlier, it is vital every child had access to the education they are entitled to in the place they want it to be in, as far as possible, but also that they get the supports they need. This school is vital to that in the Deputy's county, but there is an acknowledgement more needs to be done not just in Tipperary but across the country as well. We are absolutely committed to providing that support, that expansion and that important education.

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