Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide assistance to a school (details supplied); if she is aware that the delay in providing this additional accommodation will result in a large number of children being forced to be educated in overcrowded classrooms for September 2024; if she will expedite the processing of this school’s DES re: R1 Form on health and safety grounds; if she will ensure that all steps and processes are being considered to address the accommodation issues highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20881/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question submitted an application for capital funding, under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2023 for one mainstream classroom and office/support space.

The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation 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 or at other schools in the area.

At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.

I am pleased to advise that the school was approved rental of an 80m2 modular classroom in 2023 and an initial approval letter issued to the school requesting completion of documentation as part of the delivery process. I can confirm that officials in my department have only recently received the requested documentation.

I can assure the Deputy that my officials will be in contact with the school in due course following review of the aforementioned documentation and that we are very conscious that where additional school places and accommodation are required, a significant lead-in time is necessary for a variety of reasons.