John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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530.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of six additional classrooms for a school (details supplied); and if the second ASD unit will be sanctioned as requested.[34240/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question has submitted an application for capital funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.

The purpose of my Department’s 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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.

The Department engages intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This engagement involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.

In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease. Therefore, the Department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs. This is in line with public spending requirements. In relation to the provision of primary special classes, the shared preference of both the Department and the NCSE is to use and reconfigure existing school accommodation to provide special classes. Given the number of primary special classes available already and the falling demographics, it is also likely that most of the new additional special classes may be required in larger population centres in a local school planning area.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 31 new school buildings. The 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn. 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.

The main focus of my Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.

The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding. I can ensure the Deputy that officials in my department are engaging with the school in question with a view to establishing critical accommodation needs in the medium term and also the long term accommodation needs of the school.