Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will reconsider the decision to refuse an ASD class at a school (details supplied) given that there is a waiting list for such classes at this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2562/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional accommodation 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.

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 forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2025/26 school year. This work 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 planning and providing for additional school accommodation, the Department must also have regard to construction inflation pressures and competing demands on suppliers of modular accommodation and project management services.

The NCSE regional team have engaged with officials in my department regarding the school in question again and have now confirmed that a class is will be required at the school for 2025/26.

Officials in my Department will be in contact with the school the school authority directly regarding their application.