Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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189. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when modular classrooms will be installed at a school (details supplied) in Limerick city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37649/24]

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.

In order to meet these needs my Department has broadened its delivery streams and is utilizing Modern Methods of Construction, including Modular Accommodation, as well as traditional construction delivery methods. Modular accommodation has particular advantages in terms of overall timelines and also climate impact in that they do not generally have a reliance on fossil fuels.

In overall terms, it is important to have a range of delivery mechanisms for delivering school accommodation to support the current very strong and ambitious rollout of school building projects. This is particular relevant given the overall challenging construction sector market.

A number of factors are considered by my Department in determining the most appropriate construction method to meet a school’s accommodation requirements, including the timing and duration of that accommodation need, and other school-specific factors.

Officials in my Department have been engaging with the school in question regarding the appropriate construction method which would best suit the schools requirements.

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