Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

267. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the decision to grant funding for an ASD extension at a school (details supplied) but not for accommodation for staffroom facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27092/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department approved funding for the provision of permanent additional accommodation at the school in question under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme in 2021. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery.

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.

At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.

The main focus of resources over the last decade has been on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and for special education needs provision. However, under Project Ireland 2040 there will be an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.

As the Deputy may be aware, at a national level, primary enrolments are projected to decrease significantly over the coming decade, from a peak in 2018. While there will be local and regional variations, and the impact of Ukrainian arrivals will mitigate this reduction somewhat, there will be strategic opportunities to consider the overall accommodation needs of schools.

The Deputy may also be aware of the very significant school building programme that is currently underway. Overall, there are in excess of 1,300 school building projects at various stages of design, planning, and construction. Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

My Department will continue to work to ensure that capital investment in our schools is targeted in the most efficient and effective way to support schools in meeting the education needs of their students and communities.