Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for additional school accommodation for a post primary school, form ASA (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25833/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has an application with my department under the ASA (Additional School Accommodation) scheme.

I wish to advise the Deputy that approval has issued to the School Authority in question under the Additional School Accommodation scheme for the provision of 2 Special Educational Needs Classrooms.

The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. The Department has a significant modular accommodation programme in place to assist schools in the provision of additional capacity, including in respect of facilitating the establishment of special classes. This programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects.

Kerrigan Sheanan Newman Construction Consultants (KSN) has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction. Due to the scale of the proposed accommodation a full planning application is necessary. I can confirm that the project manager expects to submit the planning application to the local authority before the end of May following completion of detailed design. The tentative timeline for completion of the modular project subject to all statutory approvals is Q1 2026. The School Authority has devolved responsibility for delivery of this project.

My department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of this accommodation and will be working with the school authority to keep it updated on overall project delivery and timelines.

The school also requested additional accommodation to be delivered through traditional build method for 3 Special education tuition rooms, 1 Science laboratory and preparation area, 1 Art room, 1 Textile room and 1 Technology room.

The assessment process for this additional accommodation is in its final stages and the school authority will be notified directly of the required subsequent steps for the traditional build.