Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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554. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional temporary classroom spaces will to be added in a school (details supplied) ahead of the next school year. [27807/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of three general classrooms, and one Special Education Needs unit under my Department's Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme.

The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief, the project will be delivered from the Department’s Procurement Frameworks. A Project Management is appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction.

The School Authority has overall responsibility for delivery of the project.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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555. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department will issue a commencement order to the KWETB to enable the delivery of temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27808/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of six general classrooms under my Department's Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme.

The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief, the project will be delivered from the Department’s Procurement Frameworks. A Project Management company has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction. Officials from the Department have held a recent meeting with the School Authority and the assigned Project Managers to progress this project.

The School Authority has overall responsibility for delivery of the project.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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556. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the delivery of temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied) will be in place for September 2023, and if her Department put any condition on the delivery by the school authority to ensure that date is adhered to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27809/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of six general classrooms under my Department's Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme.

The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief, the project will be delivered from the Department’s Procurement Frameworks. A Project Management company has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction. Officials from the Department have held a recent meeting with the School Authority and the assigned Project Managers to progress this project.

The School Authority has overall responsibility for delivery of the project.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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557. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the delivery of temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied) will be in place for September 2023, and if her Department put any condition on the delivery by the school authority to ensure that date is adhered to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27810/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval has issued under the Additional School Accommodation scheme at the school in question for 4 additional classrooms. This project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief, the project will be delivered from the Department’s Procurement Frameworks.

A Project Management company, has been appointed from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction. The School Authority has overall responsibility for delivery of the project.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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558. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if unused temporary accommodation, currently situated at (details supplied) could be provided to neighbouring school to ensure that sufficient accommodation is available for the intake of students in August 2023. [27811/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is aware of the accommodation position at both of the schools to which the Deputy refers. Officials have had engagement with both schools and are currently actively working towards solutions in both instances.

I can assure the Deputy that the provision of required accommodation to meet school place needs is a priority for my Department, both for the coming school year and to meet longer-term needs in each area. Solutions for both schools are being advanced in that context.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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559. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline how, in the event that temporary accommodation is not provided in time for the commencement of the 2023-2024 academic year, schools are to deal with students who are in excess of accommodation capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27812/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working to ensure that there is appropriate school accommodation in place to meet the school place needs of all children. In the first instance, this is focussed on ensuring that the use of existing school accommodation capacity is fully optimised.

The purpose of my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. Where there is a need for accelerated delivery of such accommodation my Department utilises Modern Methods of Construction, including my Department's Modular Accommodation Framework, to meet the accommodation need. My Department has additionally put Project Management provision in place to support schools in the expedited delivery of this accommodation.

In addition, my Department is liaising with all schools that have accommodation requirements for the coming school year in relation to their contingency planning arrangements and any supports required for same.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of nine general classrooms.

The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief, the project will be delivered from the Department’s Procurement Frameworks. A Project Management company has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction.

The School Authority has overall responsibility for delivery of the project.