James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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322. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the confirmed date for delivery and installation of an approved modular building for school (details supplied); if she is aware that the provision of this modular unit is crucial to the facilitation of the approved ASD class for school which is due to open in September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29401/24]

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.

The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, 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 the requirement for a new class for pupils with special education needs has been identified by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes. The capacity at other schools in the area is also considered as part of the assessment of any accommodation needs.

The Department’s Modular Accommodation Programme is an important mechanism for facilitating accelerated delivery of necessary additional capacity – including in relation to special classes. However, as part of maximising existing capacity and managing within budgetary parameters this is targeted at schools where there is no existing capacity in the general area to facilitate the establishment of urgently required special classes.

A key focus of the Department is the utilisation of existing accommodation at schools to provide facilities for special classes. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and provision which is well integrated within the mainstream school accommodation. It is consistent with the Department’s commitment to supporting the educational needs of children who require specialist placements while at the same time meeting the requirements of the Government’s Infrastructure Guidelines.

In planning for school place requirements and ensuring best use of limited resources, it is very important that capacity in existing schools and across a town or area is maximised to the greatest extent possible. This analysis is done as part of the Department’s assessment of applications for additional accommodation from individual schools.

Schools’ support for the establishment of special classes is very welcome. However, an analysis of both the need for special class places and existing capacity in schools in the general area will first need to be completed before a decision can be made on a school’s application for additional accommodation. In this regard, the Department is working very closely with the NCSE to ensure that the most appropriate solution is identified with a view to providing the most immediate and cost effective accommodation solutions for the establishment of new special classes.

In relation to special classes that require modular accommodation, it should be noted that there can be a lead in periods to provide same – depending on scale and complexity of the project. The Department’s approach is to advise schools that it is prudent to have contingency plans in place for modular accommodation projects that are approved by the Department. This contingency planning is supported by training, guidance and support from the NCSE in relation to the establishment of the special class.

The application from the school in question is currently being considered by my officials. Once the assessment process has been finalised the school authority will be notified of the decision directly.