Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

278. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available to schools where existing rooms have been repurposed as ASD classes; and if such spaces can be replaced or restored through available supports. [33260/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My department works very closely with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) with respect to the planning for special classes at primary and post primary schools, as well as special school provision. Where there are accommodation requirements, these can be met by reconfiguration of any available accommodation, the delivery of new projects, or projects already in train, or, where, necessary, accelerated delivery via the Department’s Modular Accommodation Framework. My department is working with the NCSE regarding special class requirements throughout the country, and will continue to work to deliver any additional accommodation requirements to meet those needs.

In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease. Therefore my department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs. In relation to the provision of primary special classes, the shared preference of both the Department and the NCSE is to use and reconfigure existing school accommodation to provide special classes.

When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school (primary or post-primary), school authorities can apply to my department for capital funding to re-configure an existing space within the school building to accommodate the class. Funding can be sourced through my department’s SEN Re-purposing Scheme or for larger scale works through the Additional School’s Accommodation Scheme (ASA).

My department is progressing urgent building projects that involve the re-purposing of existing space in schools for special class purposes. These projects will ensure that existing school capacity is optimised and that teaching spaces are adaptable and flexible to facilitate a student-centred approach to learning. Potential re-purposing options will be school and site specific, presenting different opportunities and challenges. To support the delivery of these classes in good time for the 2025/26 school year a new streamlined approach to funding is available to re-purpose accommodation for SEN.

A SEN Start Up grant of €30,000 for each new SEN classroom sanctioned and opened for the 2025/26 school year has been paid to schools directly following receipt of NCSE notification of sanctioned classes. Additional funding for small scale re-purposing works up to a maximum of €70,000 per class is also available to schools on an application basis. This grant funding will provide good flexibility to schools to facilitate the opening of a new special class.

Generally schools are encouraged to re-purpose spare accommodation to facilitate a special class and therefore there should not be displacement of accommodation. In cases however where accommodation is displaced the overall accommodation available to the school will be considered in terms of funding.