John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26049/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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A sensory room in a school can enhance and promote the health and well-being of the whole school with a focus on both the culture and the environment. It is a designated area within a school which can support a student’s sensory preferences and needs and can provide students with the individualised sensory input they need to self-regulate, so they can be better prepared for learning and interacting with others.

Funding of €7,000 is made available by my Department's Loose Furniture & Equipment (F&E) Section for the provision of the start-up of a sensory room within a school. In order to be eligible for the grant, the school must demonstrate it has an NCSE approved ASD class and that there is a suitable room to house the sensory room (i.e. drawings of school layout with the sensory room and ASD class clearly marked). The sensory room must be a separate room from that of the ASD class and must have its own separate entry/exit. Only one sensory room grant is funded by my Department per school.

A sensory room is a dedicated room with its own entry/exit (i.e. a door) and a school must demonstrate that this is an available room within the school building in order to access the sensory room grant. A sensory room is primarily intended for use by students within the school and is not confined to students within a specific classroom which is why my Department requires that it must be a separate room from that of the ASD class and must have its own separate entry/exit.

I understand that the school in question does not have an existing ASD class and therefore, does not qualify for the sensory room start-up grant in any event. My department, will of course, continue to engage with the school in respect of any follow up queries.