John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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730. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to progress an application to provide suitable accommodation for a school (details supplied); if the building project will be expedited as the demand for school places continues to grow and the current school infrastructure is not fit for purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12334/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question submitted an application for capital funding, under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.

The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.

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.

A brief of accommodation was provisionally approved for the school under a pilot project for precast modular accommodation. Unfortunately, the pilot project for the school in question and three other schools did not progress due to viability issues.

On this basis the project for the school was withdrawn from the pre-cast modular framework.

Officials in my department liaised directly with the school to progress steel frame modular accommodation for the school. Following this consultation, the school advised my department that they did not wish to proceed with modular accommodation.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This includes the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.

I can assure the Deputy that the Department continues to work with the NCSE in relation to the short-term requirements for special class and special school places and also the more strategic and longer-term requirements. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2025/26 school year. Engagement with school patrons will also form part of this process.

Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, the NCSE has advised that 309 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these 9 are in County Kilkenny, 7 at primary and 2 at post primary level.

This will add to the 62 special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 5 special schools in Kilkenny with approximately 277 students enrolled.

Of the 124 special schools nationwide, four special schools are new for this school year and further capacity has been expanded in eleven others. Five more have been established for the 2025/26 school year in counties Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary(Nenagh). This will bring to 16 the number of new special schools opened in recent years.

The Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.

The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. The NCSE will progress the sanctioning of new special classes over the coming weeks and will advise parents in turn on the location of new special classes for the 2025/26 school year.

Budget 2025 secured funding for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children.