Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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I want to bring forward this issue today about Charleville National School. It really is an emergency situation. Accommodation has been approved for two modular units, which will consist of a special education room, a classroom and a special tuition room. I say it is an emergency situation because the school will not be able to open in September if the modular accommodation is not in place. The school will have 12 pupils with autism attending in September. There is absolutely no room for these children - no sensory area, no soft play area. It is of huge concern. There is also one mainstream class within the school that actually has no classroom. The school authorities are trying to improvise every way they can and I commend them on that. It is an excellent school, but it really needs assistance at this stage. The rooms that are to be used are for the mainstream classroom, a special education room and a special tuition room. That is what the modular units will be used for. It really is an urgent situation.

The project viability report was submitted by the school authorities. They have worked very hard on this project with officials from the Department of Education. I just want to again emphasise that the reason for raising this matter is there are health and safety issues. There will be more health and safety issues in September, which will lead to a situation where they will not be able to open, should there be any further delays with the modular units. I implore the Minister of State to do all he can. I am grateful that he is taking this matter tonight. Everything possible should be done to make sure that urgent assistance is given in speeding up the delivery of these modular units, and to have them on-site for September, which is not too long away at this point. I ask the Minister of State for an update and indeed to give assistance to the school in respect of this project.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, the current position relating to a capital project to deliver additional accommodation for Charleville National School under the Department’s special educational needs, SEN, reconfiguration and modular accommodation programme. The school authorities of Charleville National School applied to the Department for additional accommodation under the additional school accommodation scheme to cater for increased enrolment. Approval was granted to the school authority recently for one special educational needs classroom, one mainstream classroom and one special education tuition room. The project as outlined is being delivered under the Department’s devolved SEN reconfiguration and modular accommodation programme. This programme adds an additional stream of delivery under the additional school accommodation scheme, which allows school authorities the choice of managing the project solely as client with access to the Department’s frameworks, or to avail of the services of a project manager under the Department’s project management framework. The appointment of a project manager to a project supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school authorities for the brief outlined.

The school authorities of Charleville National School have chosen to access the services of Rogerson Reddan as project manager for this project. The project will be delivered from the Department's procurement frameworks of which there are two, the modular accommodation framework for the provision of modular accommodation from several manufacturers nationwide and the term maintenance framework that allows school authorities access to several contractors also for reconfiguration elements of a project.

I am pleased to advise that the project for Charleville National School has entered the delivery phase. A signed form of acceptance from the school authority was received by officials on 24 April last. The school authority in conjunction with their project manager can appoint contractors and works can commence. However, it is important to outline that the overall construction sector environment is challenging, and the Department and the project management company are doing everything possible to ensure that the appropriate accommodation is delivered as quickly as possible. The Department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of same. The school authorities have overall responsibility for delivery of the project. Officials from the Department of Education hold weekly meetings with the assigned project managers to ensure the project remains on track for delivery and will ensure that the school authorities are updated regularly on overall project delivery and timelines.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for that information and indeed the constructive and positive response. Again, I stress that it is absolutely vital that the modular units are delivered on time for September. I welcome the fact that there will be weekly meetings regarding the project to ensure that it is moving and on track. I also welcome the fact that it has entered the delivery phase. That is certainly progress but the clock is ticking. September is not too far away and the school finds itself in a precarious situation that it really wants to avoid of not being able to open its doors in September. That is very understandable given the health and safety issues and indeed the flight risk posed by some of the pupils who have autism. All of that has to be factored in, hence the urgency and the emergency situation. It should also be noted that the school is in the town of Tullamore so it has done everything possible to accommodate students. It has absolutely gone out of its way to make sure that students who come looking for places are accommodated. That is why it really does need every assistance possible. It should also be noted that it has 62 pupils who need English as an additional language, EAL, tuition and they also have no classroom. We have a situation where the autistic pupils have no classroom, a mainstream class has no actual classroom and also 62 EAL students have no classroom.

It really is urgent and I would hope that the two modular units that I understand will be divided into three for these classrooms will be in place by September. I look forward to engaging further with the Minister for Education in this respect.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I again thank Deputy Nolan for raising this important matter on behalf of Charleville National School and for giving me the opportunity again to reassure the House that the Department of Education is committed to the accelerated provision of this modular accommodation to meet the urgent school accommodation needs. It is important that the officials in the Department of Education continue to work closely with the school authority and the assigned project manager to ensure timely delivery of this accommodation, as the Deputy specified earlier.

We cannot have a situation where the 12 students, as the Deputy said earlier, would be at a disadvantage. I am informed the project manager has already visited the school on several occasions and has prepared a viability report that has been approved by the Department. The report identifies the best accommodation solution possible. Following the engagement with the Deputy this evening, I will reaffirm the position and the urgency in this regard with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and ensure that her officials are aware the Deputy has again raised the matter here on the floor of the Dáil.