Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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83. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a school extension at a special needs school (details supplied); the remaining steps in the approval process; the average timelines for those steps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4709/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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A project for St Brid's Special School is included in the Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). It is intended that this project will provide modern accommodation to meet the needs of the school, including the complex needs of its pupils. It is also intended that the project will include additional capacity to address future special school demand in the area.

The Department has acquired a property that is co-located on the school site in order to extend the area available for the development of the school. This property also provides additional interim accommodation for the school pending the development of the full site.

As part of the preparatory work associated with advancing a project, the Department carried out a technical site visit to the school. The next steps include devising the accommodation brief for the project and this process is in train. The Department will keep the school advised of progress in this regard.

My Department is very much aware of the needs of the pupils and wider school community at St. Brid's Special School and of the importance of delivering improved accommodation for this school.  The provision of  appropriate accommodation for all pupils with special edcuation needs is an absolute priority for my Department.  Since 2018, my Department's total investment to date in building projects at special schools is in excess of €125m.  This includes completed projects and projects under construction under the Large Scale Capital Programme and the Additional School Accommodation scheme.  Currently, there are 54 school building projects at special schools which are in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction.

My Department will continue to work to advance all of these projects, including the project at St Brid's Special School, as quickly as possible.