Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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71. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in relation to a capital appraisal for a school (details supplied) to assess whether a new building is required for the school. [23261/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in relation to the intended works for additional accommodation at a school (details supplied), promised one year ago. [23262/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together.

I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority in question.

The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classrooms 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 application has been assessed and a provisional offer was issued to the school authorities. This provisional offer was accepted by the school authorities, however concerns were raised about other issues within the existing school building. In this regard my Department and specifically the Schools Capital Appraisal Section and the Technical section have been reassessing concerns raised.

The main focus of my Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. However, my Department is working towards an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock, with particular focus on climate action goals.

In the interim, my Department will continue to engage with the school authorities with respect to its accommodation needs and having regard to the educational requirements of the area more broadly.