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

I assure the Deputy we will be building on the two pilots I have mentioned for secondary schools, taking lessons and experience from them, and starting a pilot for the next school year, 2026-27, with the hope and ambition to roll it out further. We need to make sure we have the ability to share as much data as possible so all of our school systems are updated and all the schools in a particular area are involved and part of the overall pilot. This work is under way.

With regard to Danu Community Special School in particular, I assure the Deputy it is a priority for the Department to provide a permanent building. There was a request for the modular accommodation that is needed. The project management team is making arrangements, specifically trying to identify and ascertain the fire certificate and the disability access certificate. The first tranche of funding has been put in place and it is at preconstruction stage, whereby the contractor is modifying the modular accommodation off-site. All of this work is happening and progressing as quickly as possible. It is anticipated that construction on the site will commence during the school term. Progress is being made and we want to see it in place as soon as possible while the new build is being put in place.

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