Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to the House.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for being here and taking this important question on Scoil Aonghusa. I acknowledge the Minister of State’s work in recent weeks and months on free book schemes for all special schools in the country. It is really important, as the Minister of State knows because she has been in Tipperary with me. It is important for schools in Tipperary, particularly the school I will discuss. I want to give the Minister of State the opportunity to speak on that because it is important for those schools.

Scoil Aonghusa is a fantastic school. The principal, Siobhan Keyes Ryan, the vice principal, Ciara Ryan, the staff do phenomenal work for the kids there. Last year, the school applied for an extension to the building. They used to use a building outside that was not fit for purpose and cannot be used any more for health and safety reasons. They applied for 12 new rooms in their building. They thought that was to be approved but recently have been given to understand just five rooms will be built. They are not really sure what will happen with the other seven.They are not really sure what is going to happen. The school has been in contact with the Department a number of times, but no clarity has been given. The problem with this is that the school has 14 students who are ready to start there next September, but they will not get the places if the school does not have the units in place for them. For obvious reasons, therefore, there are concerns among the principal and the staff element within the school, but there is also real concern for the parents involved.

I ask that we get some clarity for the school on this extension and whether the whole application will be approved. I know there are complications in terms of planning permission. Supposedly, one can do five units without needing planning permission but if one wants the full 12, one needs planning permission. The school is getting mixed messages when it speaks to the Department, however. It has caused confusion for the staff. Then, obviously, the parents want to know. They go to the principal and vice principal to ask what will happen in September but they do not have the answers. I am asking the Minister of State to put a bit of pressure on the Department to meet with the principal and staff and get to a point where they can give clarity to the parents of the pupils who are hopefully going to start there in September. The Minister of State saw this when she visited that school. The amount of work done by Ms Siobhan Keyes Ryan is incredible. The pupils benefit hugely from it. Any assistance the Minister of State could give in her role would be hugely appreciated.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for his comments regarding free books for primary school children. As Minister of State with responsibility for special education, I was particularly pleased that special schools will for the very first time get schoolbooks which, as the Senator knows, means a huge amount to children with additional needs and their families. We are really pleased about that. I thank the Senator for acknowledging it.

Specifically with regard to Scoil Aonghusa, Ms Siobhan Keyes Ryan and Ms Ciara Ryan Gleeson do fantastic work and it has wonderful staff and children. Obviously, this application was made under the additional school accommodation scheme. It is under a new stream within that particular programme, which is called the reconfiguration and modular accommodation programme. It provides for the first time a project manager to assist the school authority with delivery. Projects that are being delivered under the scheme are devolved to the school authorities and it is a matter then for the schools to progress these projects on that basis, obviously, subject to departmental review at various points in the process, which is a good thing. The number of stages has been minimised to ensure the efficiency and efficacy of delivery while also maintaining the necessary governance structure that is required. The project manager will visit the school site and, in consultation with the school authority, will prepare what they call a viability report to identify the best accommodation solution for the Department’s consideration and approval. That is just to put in into context.

On approval, the Department will then notify the school authority directly that it may proceed to the next stage subject to its agreement of the final project brief, as they call it. The Department will then issue funding for the project. I am pleased to advise the Senator that a meeting has already been arranged between the school authority and the project manager as part of the process outlined. My understanding is that the actual specification of the brief for Scoil Aonghusa is ten classrooms, five of which are general. There are three junior special educational needs, SEN, classrooms and two classrooms for moderate pupils. That is my understanding of what the approval is. It is an absolutely fantastic school. The work it does is phenomenal, particularly for children with additional needs. It is brilliant that there is going to be extra SEN accommodation in the additional school accommodation that is envisaged. If more schools were like it, the world would be a better place for children with additional needs. I want to very much commend the school and, indeed, the work the Senator is doing in that regard.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State very much for her response. This brings me to the confusion the school has. That meeting with the project manager is happening this evening, which is fantastic and very welcome. This is the problem, which I hope the Minister of State's office might be able to help with before that meeting happens this evening. The project manager is of the understanding that five classrooms are approved, the school is of the understanding that 12 are approved and the Department is of the understanding that ten are approved. It is something that can easily be resolved if the Minister of State's office could perhaps talk to the project manager before he meets the principal this evening to outline exactly what has been agreed, and if it is not what the school principal thinks, outline what needs to be done for it to be approved. The school is of the view that it is five classrooms. The Department is saying it is ten classrooms, five of which are special classrooms, three of which are junior special educational needs classrooms and two of which are for moderate pupils. We need to get clarity before that meeting happens tonight. I ask that the Minister of State's office contacts the project manager before that happens this evening.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I will certainly speak to the Department and make sure the project manager ensures he gives the correct detail to the school authorities today. Again, I reiterate my understanding that it is ten classrooms, five of which are general classrooms, three of which are junior special educational needs classrooms and two of which are for moderate pupils. As the Senator said, however, the school has a different view. We need to make sure everyone is ad idemin their understanding. Hopefully, that meeting will help to resolve any of those outstanding issues. I again commend the Senator on bringing this to my attention. He is a great advocate for additional needs in particular. I am always happy to help in terms of trying to assist with matters like this.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State very much. I thank Senator Ahearn for raising this very important issue.