James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding confirmed date for delivery and installation of an approved modular building for a school (details supplied) which is required to facilitate a previously approved ASD class, due to open in September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40438/24]

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.

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 some instances this analysis is complete and the appropriate accommodation solutions are being advanced. In the remaining cases, the outcome of the analysis is nearing completion and schools will be advised accordingly. Your local SENO will continue to engage with you regarding the position and timing of the establishment of your previously sanctioned new class.

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.

I can assure the Deputy that the provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my Department.

The application is being considered in this context and we are working to get a decision communicated to the school as soon as possible.