Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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It is a great honour to welcome my good friend and colleague, Deputy Buttimer, who is not a stranger to this House. He had a long and distinguished career here. He is very welcome this morning. I thank him for coming.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht ar ais arís inniu. Grange Post-Primary School in north Sligo is a growing and thriving school. The whole area is developing and the population has increased a lot. The community has been asking for a 14-room extension since at least 2021. The money was approved and allocated for planning of a 14-room extension but the planning application was withdrawn in 2022 because there were not enough available parking spaces. Since 2022, seven additional pupils have joined the school but there is no temporary classroom or toilet provision. The issue was raised in January 2025 when Sligo County Council passed a motion to write to the Minister to advance the construction of an extension at Grange Post-Primary School and to grant an application for immediate emergency accommodation. There is no individual space for students because the school is growing. A lot of new subjects have been introduced and the facilities just are not there. Has an application for emergency accommodation been granted? If not, will the Minister of State confirm when the application will be granted? Will funding be provided to ensure the school can meet the conditions required to address the parking issues which led to the withdrawal of the previous planning application?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election and elevation to the position. She will bring distinction to the role. Comhghairdeas leat agus beir bua.

I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this matter. I apologise that I do not have a copy of the written reply for her. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. I will ask the Department to liaise with the Senator afterwards. I apologise sincerely to her that I do not have a script for her.

As the Senator outlined, Grange Post-Primary School is in north Sligo. It is a growing school with an enrolment in 2023 of 223 students. It has initiated a 14-room extension request. As Members will be aware, the purpose of the additional schools accommodation, ASA, scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested more than €5.7 billion in our schools, involving the completion of more than 1,150 school building projects. Construction is under way in approximately 300 other projects, which involve new school buildings, some of which are being delivered in phases. The 300 projects currently in construction involve a total State investment of more than €1.3 billion. More than €48 million has been invested in schools in County Sligo since 2020. The Department announced earlier this year that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, will be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and into this year. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the Department’s large-scale capital programme and additional accommodation scheme for essential classroom accommodation. Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 sq. m of new and modernised capacity to our school estate. This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities around the country.

In the context of Senator Cosgrove's Commencement matter, Grange Post-Primary School currently has a traditional ASA school project in train consisting of three general classrooms, one music room, one science lab and preparation area, one graphics room, one home economics room, one construction room and preparation area, one special education classroom and one universal access toilet. This project is devolved to Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB, as the school’s patron, for delivery. The Senator asked specific questions. My information is that there have been particular technical issues with the project, including parking provision. Department officials are engaging with the design team to get required clarification on the parking issues. A subsequent ASA application was also received by the Department seeking provision of temporary accommodation of two mainstream classrooms and two toilet blocks in a modular build. Modern methods of construction including modular accommodation from the Department’s framework provide high-quality accommodation solutions for schools. The Department engaged with Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB with respect to the proposed modular accommodation with a view to providing the accommodation requested and adjusting the accommodation to be provided as part of the traditional construction project. I am informed that Department officials are continuing to engage with the ETB in this matter.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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It is fantastic that the application is going ahead. It will be welcome in the area. It would be great to get a definite answer as to whether the temporary accommodation will be provided. The school is aware it will be a few years before it will be built but in the meantime it really needs toilets and additional space.It would be fantastic if we could get clarification as soon as possible on whether approval has been granted.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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Senator Cosgrove is right that there is a need for clarity around additional accommodation. As a former school teacher, I understand fully the school community and its needs. I am told the school has been approved to progress a traditional building project, which will deliver a significant suite of classrooms, specialist teaching spaces and provision for students with special educational needs. This project has been devolved to Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB for delivery and is at stage 2B, detailed design. Departmental officials will continue to engage with the ETB and appoint a design team to advance the project. The Department will also continue to liaise with the ETB on the school's accommodation needs pending delivery of the project. I will ask officials in the Department to engage with Senator Cosgrove following this Commencement debate.