Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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415. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if schools can apply for funding to create and improve sensory rooms they create in their existing school buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7622/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Supporting special educational needs (SEN) provision in schools is a priority for my Department. The furniture and equipment needs of children with special educational needs is highly sensitive and individualised and as a result applications for funding are generally dealt with on a case-by-case basis as opposed to a general level of grant funding.

A school that has an existing or approved SEN classroom can make an application for a sensory room start up grant funding to my Department. In order to be considered eligible for this grant the school must meet the following criteria:

1. The school must have an existing SEN classroom or be in the process of opening one;
2. The designated sensory room must be separate from the SEN classroom or any other room with its own entry/exit door and accessible from the main corridor, and should not require any major refurbishment. Part of classrooms, sensory spaces, and sensory pods do not qualify for the grant.