Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32966/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question for special class accommodation.

The purpose of the Additional Schools 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.

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 focused on ensuring that the use of existing school accommodation capacity is fully optimised. Where additional capacity is required this can be provided by means of modular accommodation where accelerated delivery is required, or by means of traditional construction projects.

The school in question have advised that their preference is for accommodation by way of traditional construction. The application, in this respect, has been assessed and a proposed accommodation brief is currently being finalised. This will issue directly to the school authorities as soon as possible.