Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can confirm that she has in her role as Minister the discretionary powers to provide for a larger central activities space than the standard size for all SEN bases built in certain cases (details supplied); her views on whether given the scale of an extension granted that this school and others with similar large extensions, would require additional space and a one size fits all central activities space is not practical or safe; and if a school granted funding in this case, can appeal to her Department for consideration for a larger CAS, if an appropriate argument and case can be made. [22249/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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.

I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate accommodation for pupils with special education needs is an absolute priority for my Department. To make accommodation provision to meet the needs of students with special education requirements, my Department has close engagement with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. The Department continues to engage with NCSE in relation to special classes that have been sanctioned for September 2025 to confirm critical classes where accommodation is required while also considering the more strategic and longer-term requirements. The Department engages intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. 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.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.? Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 610,000 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.The Deputy will appreciate that the immediate priority of my Department is continued strong delivery to support the operation of the school system on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics particularly at post-primary level and for special education needs provision. My Department has no plans to amend the specification for central activity spaces for special classes.

The Central Activities Space is the shared central space between the Classroom Bases and is intended as general activities space for a variety of uses. It is an informal teaching space, and its occupancy can vary depending on use. As a supporting space it is a standard area that accompanies SEN accommodation and does not increase in area depending on the number of classes. Whilst the space should be capable of being used for play, where pupils can run and express themselves, more formal structured games should take place in areas more suited for such use.