Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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9. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the delivery of a complete modular build of 18 classrooms with facilities to meet the accommodation crisis at a school (details supplied). [6191/25]

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Minister for an update on the delivery of a completely new modular build of 18 classrooms with facilities to meet the accommodation crisis at Scoil Aonghusa national school in Cashel, County Tipperary. This centre of excellence has been waiting since 2015 to proceed to design and planning stage. The current situation is having enormous implications for the 150 students with complex special needs who attend this school. As the Minister knows, this has been my number one priority since entering this Chamber. It is also a key priority for my colleague at local level, Councillor Declan Burgess.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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.

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I welcome that confirmation. It is a huge boost to everybody involved in the centre of excellence that is Scoil Aonghusa. I acknowledge all the team in the school who do such fantastic work that creates such a positive environment for these young students to reach their maximum ability in. The board met on Tuesday night last and obviously welcomed this approval. As I said, they have been waiting for this since 2015. I think some further clarity is being sought. There are 24 teaching posts in the school. Only six existing classrooms adhere to the departmental specification so there is some back and forth between the board and the Minister's officials. It is approximately 18 classes versus 14. I ask the Minister to follow up with her officials so we can get that additional clarity around the number of classrooms.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I understand the provision of the modular accommodation of the four classrooms was to cater for the immediate need but that it is included and is part of the 18, so the need is 18 and that is the absolute commitment by the Department. It will obviously take time as this will require planning. The most important thing now is we can move on to those stages and then get to construction so students will benefit from this as soon as possible.

As I have mentioned, of the 124 special schools nationwide, four special schools are new for this school year where further capacity will be added into the overall system. A further five have been established for the 2025-26 school year in counties Cork, Dublin, Monaghan and Tipperary, specifically in Nenagh, as I mentioned. This will bring to 16 the number of new special schools opened in recent years. Of course, my Department will be only to happy to continue to engage with the school and the principal on support needed. I acknowledge their work and the unbelievably positive impact they are already having on many young children, and have had in the past. It is important they are supported with the right environment to be able to provide that important learning.

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. As I said, I am conscious we are talking about a physical building but of course Scoil Aonghusa and many other special schools around the country are so much more than that. They are the positive environment in which our children, especially children with special needs, can reach the maximum of their ability. I wish to acknowledge in the Chamber the principal and her amazing team of teachers, nurses, ancillary staff, the board, volunteers and everybody associated with Scoil Aonghusa. Will the Minister consider visiting the school at the earliest opportunity? We have another centre of excellence in the area of special needs in Scoil Chormaic in Cashel. I ask the Minister to visit both schools at the earliest opportunity. I welcome this approval. It is a huge boost to everybody involved in the centre of excellence that is Scoil Aonghusa.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I would be happy to visit and would certainly love to meet the whole school community and see at first-hand the wonderful work that is being done. I stress it is the intention of the Minister of State and I to get to a position where we have the capacity we need for every young child to be able to attend school, to attend a school that is most appropriate for them and that this can be done in the most timely manner so that at the same time of the year every child, irrespective of where they are going to school, will know where they are going, when they are going and will have time to plan. I am aware one of the biggest at the moment is ensuring parents know well in advance where their children are going and that they have that appropriate space. There is a lot of work happening through the NCSE, the expansion of its teams, the development of our SENOs and the huge capital investment. That work will continue as a priority so every parent and every child are supported.