Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

He has an interest in it and certainly wants to try to make progress on plans, if possible.

Stepping Stones is a special school located in accommodation on a site provided by the school authority. The school currently has a principal and five teaching posts. The school caters for students ranging in age from six to 18, or young adults. The current enrolment is 30 pupils, which is consistent with enrolment numbers over the past five years.

The most recent correspondence from the school, in November 2019, requested formally the provision of a new school building. The current position relating to the school's request is that the school is not included in the Department's current building programme, set out a couple of years ago. It is not officially in that but the Minister is committed to working with the school in that regard. In the meantime, the Department approved an additional temporary mainstream classroom for the school earlier this year. I understand the school authority has begun the process of applying for planning permission for this room.

I advise the Senator and others who are listening that it is open to Stepping Stones school to apply to the Department for additional temporary accommodation to cater for its immediate accommodation needs or an emergency works grant to address any health and safety works at the school. The bottom line is that, on a temporary basis, the Department will work with the school to accommodate it and meet its needs. If it needs additional space, that can also be addressed.

With regard to the new school applied for in November, departmental officials will be in contact with the school authority to arrange a meeting early in the new year in the Department's offices in Tullamore to discuss the schools future accommodation needs and plans. There was talk of a site visit but that is probably not necessary just yet. It is more important that we get everyone sitting down together around the table in the offices in Tullamore to ascertain the exact needs and design. There are some lovely designs for special schools around the country. I am familiar with the work St. Mary's special school is doing in Navan and the design it has opted for. The Department will be interested in engaging on that. The first process is to agree on the aims and then to get the project into the capital plan. The Minister, who visited along with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, is committed to trying to help the school with its long-term plans.