Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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991. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide financial support to a school (details supplied) that have been approved for new ASD classes in the premises adjacent to the school; if it can be rented in the meantime until there are modular classrooms put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20575/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for two special education classrooms.

The purpose of the ASA 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 by available accommodation at other schools in the area.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has provisionally approved the delivery of accommodation to the school under the department's Modular Accommodation Framework. The project recently progressed to the department's project managers to undertake a viability report.

Since 2020, my Department has invested over €5.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,350 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn.

The Department previously announced that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the Department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.

In County Laois alone from 2020 to date the Department has invested €108.48 million in school infrastructure and completed 29 school building projects.

The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my Department. My officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider area for 2025/26 and future years.

I can assure the Deputy that an official from the Department has been engaging with the school in relation to contingency planning in advance of the start of the 2025/2026 school year. Contingency planning can involve the rental of local buildings if suitable and schools are always advised to contact their local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places and also on contingency planning in the event accommodation is not in place at the start of the new school year. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.