Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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422. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6272/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for capital funding from the school in question.

It is open to the school authorities to make an application for additional accommodation through the 'Additional School Accommodation' (ASA) scheme if they wish to do so. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.

The provision of accommodation for pupils with special education needs is a priority for my Department. My officials have close engagement with officials in the National Council for Special Education in respect of needs at primary and post primary level and also at special schools. The delivery of accommodation to meet current and future requirements for classes for pupils with special education needs, as identified by the NCSE, is prioritised by my Department.

Where a school is interested in opening a special class, guidance in this respect is available on my Department's website and funding, if required will be provided by my Department under the Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme.