Written answers
Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Department of Education and Skills
School Accommodation
Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on an additional school accommodation application that was sanctioned by her Department in February 2022 for a school (details supplied); to explain the delay in progressing the new build and what further timeframe is expected on the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7760/24]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme for the provision of 2 mainstream classrooms, 2 SET and 1 sensory room.
A Stage 1/2a report was received reviewed and approved by my Department’s Professional and Technical Team to progress to Stage 2b (detailed design) in February 2024.
The school were notified of this approval and advised my Department that they had understood that they were previously approved to stage 2b and had applied for, and been granted, the necessary statutory approvals, including planning permission.
Upon being notified of this, Department officials commenced a review with the aim of progressing the project while also ensuring that all Departmental procedures and standards have been met. Department officials will be in contact with the school authority shortly.
Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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295. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on a modular accommodation application for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7761/24]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question was issued a provisional letter of offer following their application for capital funding, under the Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.
The purpose of the 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.
The 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 application is being considered in this context and officials in the department are working to get a decision communicated to the school as soon as possible.
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