Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department approved funding for the school referred to under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme for 1 x Mainstream Classroom and 1 x Special Education Needs base. The delivery of the project was devolved to the School Authority who appointed a design team to progress the project. My Department approved the design report submitted by the Design Team to progress to Planning.

However, the school authority subsequently requested funding for an additional classroom and this was also approved by my Department. The school submitted a new design (stage 1/2a) report which encompassed the additional classroom. The completion of the review of this new report by my Department's professional and technical officials is nearing completion and the resulting recommendations will be shared directly with the School Authority.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Modular accommodation is a feature of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which describes a range of manufacturing and innovative alternatives to traditional construction. There are many benefits of adopting MMC in the school sector ranging from faster delivery of construction projects to minimising disruption in live school environments. My Department has established a Modular Framework of suppliers which provides high quality school accommodation and increased sustainability to improve the energy performance of school accommodation, resulting in improved comfort, lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions. Framework suppliers use factory controlled precision through digitalisation and strict quality control processes to create consistent quality construction.

While the intended lifespan of individual units may currently vary, the Department of Education is constantly updating its guidance to reflect the changes and possibilities of MMC in Ireland. The delivery of school buildings using MMC with a design life span of at least 60 years is part of this continuing change. The factory precision of MMC contributes to the ability of this form of construction to deliver consistently robust buildings which are easy to manage and maintain, providing high quality learning spaces for the students of today and the future.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available, my Department will arrange for this information to be sent directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.