Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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867. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a matter regarding a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14663/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that following on from the meeting referenced the Department is committed to approving capital funding for the school in question, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme ‘ASA’, as a project for the school is not included on the current school building programme.

The parameters of the Additional School Accommodation scheme allows for the provision of mainstream classroom accommodation only (this includes classrooms, specialist rooms e.g. Construction/Engineering together with Special Education Tuition rooms and a Special Educational Needs Base).  The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.  The immediate priority of the Department is providing new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.

The second half of the NDP (from 2023 onwards) will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.  This will include a PE Hall build and modernisation programme to ensure that students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision.

In this regard, the Department is prepared to approve increased fees, for the proposed Design Team, to include for the master-planning of the school site to facilitate the design of a PE Hall facility which can be considered for progression when capital funding becomes available. Furthermore, the connection between the existing school and the proposed extension can be considered at design stage. Refurbishment of the existing school building will be considered in the context of the climate action retrofit programme.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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868. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the stage 2b report for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14664/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that this school was granted approval and funding to build two mainstream classrooms and an Assisted-User WC under the Additional Accommodation Scheme for 2020. The delivery of this project is devolved to the school authority.

My Department's officials recently reviewed the school's Stage 2B submission and I am pleased to confirm that this project has now been approved to proceed to tender stage; the school has been informed of this positive development.