Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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724.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts that have been made to provide a space in each national school for children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32195/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. 402 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2024/25 school year, 284 at primary and 118 at post primary level, providing over 2,400 additional special education places in mainstream schools. This brings to almost 3,400 the number of special classes nationwide.

The NCSE is confident that through the provision of the newly sanctioned classes and vacancies in existing classes there is sufficient places to meet the needs of all children known to them for September 2024.

I am determined to ensure that all children who require a placement can access this as quickly as possible. I meet with NCSE weekly to discuss progress and to ensure that every child has a school place for the coming term.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.

Significant additional resources have been provided to the NCSE to allow for their expansion. We will have 120 local special educational needs organisers at a local level in September who are a pivotal point of contact for parents, guardians and schools. This together with the enhanced capacity of other services within the NCSE, will bolster the level of service and provide effective structures to relieve pressure on parents when seeking a special education placement.

My department and the NCSE will continue to work to ensure there is a sufficient level of special educational provision where and when it is required.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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725.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the provision of a school dedicated solely to children with additional needs in Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32196/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

My department and the NCSE continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools and the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country including County Monaghan.

In planning for increased special school places, the department and NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.

My department and the NCSE are progressing this review work ahead of determining where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established for the 2025/26 school year.

It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required nationwide each year for the coming years. When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible.

An important consideration when deciding to establish or expand provision in an existing special school is the distances that some students are travelling in order to access a special school placement.

My department and the NCSE are continually reviewing where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established over the coming years.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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726.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for a new PE hall in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32252/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that investment and expenditure on PE Halls is an element of the overall School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings.

Almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they either have a PE Hall, access to a nearby PE Hall, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall. Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, including the completion of over 900 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings.

School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places.

This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.

In County Laois alone, from 2020 to the end of June 2024, the department has invested €86.82m in school infrastructure and completed 24 school building projects. As at end of June 2024 a further 6 projects were in construction in Co Laois.

A future strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving-certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.

The Department has to prioritise its limited capital resources, in the context both of the ongoing requirement for additional school places, including Special Education Needs places, and the high construction inflation which has significantly impacted on the cost of projects that we must deliver.

I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department received an ASA application from the school in question. I am pleased to confirm that a project was approved to deliver 4 x Mainstream classrooms and 2 x Special Education Classrooms under my Department's modular framework and the project is currently under construction. A request for a PE Hall does not come within the remit of the ASA scheme and the school authorities were informed of this.

My officials have met with school representatives regarding the school’s application for a PE Hall. My Department is open to exploring with the patron any alternative funding opportunities for the provision of a PE Hall at the school.

However, the main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs.

The Department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.

The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.