Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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171. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure a school (details supplied) has the modular unit in place for September to cater for the two special needs classes it will have; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16469/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has a project for the delivery of 2x modular special education classrooms sanctioned by the Department. This project is on a priority modular delivery programme that aims to expedite projects of this nature.

The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.

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 and retained by the school, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE. The NCSE is continuing to review the SEN provision requirements in the wider area and the outcome of the NCSE review of SEN provision needs in the school planning area is awaited to determine next steps.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. The department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special education placements ahead of each new school year. The Department continues to work with the NCSE in relation to the short-term requirements for special class and special school places and the more strategic and longer-term requirements.

Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 600,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.

This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure.The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.

The Programme for Government recognises the importance of strong capital investment in the school building programme and supporting this with enhanced allocations through the NDP process.

I want to assure you that 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 appropriate to their needs.