Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Deputy Michael Moynihan and congratulate him on his appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for special education. I know from our time on the disability matters committee that he has an excellent understanding of the requirements in this area.

The matter I am raising relates to an extension Milltown National School in Belturbet, County Cavan. Sanction was first given for the building of a mainstream classroom and two special education teacher, SET, rooms in July 2021. The following March, an additional build was sanctioned for two general classrooms, toilets, two special education rooms and a special educational needs, SEN, base room. A budget of €1.9 million was allocated. This was superseded in July 2023 and the current build was granted.

A design team was put in place and the Department received the stage 1 report from the school, which is the early design report, on 7 August 2024. It was acknowledged a couple of weeks later that the report had been received and had been forward to the professional and technical team for review. The school was given a timeframe of three to six months to hear back. It was hoped that the design team could progress to the next stage of the build.

The principal received correspondence only yesterday, having heard nothing since August and despite having sought updates and so on. The email in question states that the Department received the stage 1 report in quarter 4 of 2024, which is not true because he has the emails acknowledging receipt of the report when it was submitted in August. I seek clarification on when the report was received.

Much more importantly, when will the review be completed and the school given permission to continue with the build? The enrolment figure for the school is 174. In 2006, there were 56 students, but numbers have increased to over 170 in the past couple of years. In less than 20 years, the school's enrolment has increased by more than 300%. There is no more space for classrooms. The school has four modular buildings that take up yard space which should be used as a playground. The school hall is being used as a classroom. As a result, the school cannot have general assemblies or indoor PE if the weather is bad which, as we know, is a regular occurrence. Circulation space for students with autism is limited.

Enrolment is projected to increase because the school has carried out surveys of local parents and crèches. The school has projected enrolment that it will not be able to accommodate additional enrolment from September 2026. The school is under pressure in terms of space and wants to know that the extension will proceed in the minimum amount of time possible.