Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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198. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider including sensory pods in the sensory room grant given schools that do not have the space or capacity for a room dedicated to provide a sensory space, sensory pods are a suitable alternative for these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40056/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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A sensory room in a school can enhance and promote the health and wellbeing of the whole school with a focus on both the culture and the environment. It is a designated area within a school that can support a student’s sensory preferences and needs and provide students with the individualised sensory input they need to self-regulate to 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.

Unfortunately sensory pods are not eligible for this funding at present.