Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has not been granted funding to provide additional classroom accommodation in view of the fact it was allocated an additional classroom teacher; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current multi-purpose room is not suitable for classroom accommodation in view of the fact it has no toilet facilities and is currently being utilised as a multi-sensory room for children with special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23416/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places in an area. The area in which the school referred to by the Deputy is located has not been identified as an area of demographic growth. It is considered that there are sufficient primary school places in the catchment area to meet pupil demand and, in that context, the application for additional accommodation was not approved. In this regard my Department considers that the position can be examined further when the enrolment position in the area in which the school is located is confirmed after September 2017.

In that context, my Department suggested that the school use available accommodation, such as the multi-purpose room, to meet the immediate accommodation requirement. While it is understood this room may be used as a sensory room it is noted that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has not approved a special education class, therefore accommodation for a sensory room would not be provided.