Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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437. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of sensory rooms there in schools across the State; and the further number required to address demand. [37756/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The provision of a sensory room, at primary and post primary level respectively, form part of a suite of ancillary facilities such as a central activities space, multi activity room, as well as outdoor soft play areas, provided as part of new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school which includes provision for special education needs. Schools have installed sensory rooms through these projects and a variety of other supports.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. Over the last two years, 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 and which maximises school autonomy in terms of the range of ancillary accommodation associated with special education needs (SEN) classes.

Under the new streamlined arrangements for the establishment of SEN classes, an enhanced grant amount of €30,000 is paid for each new SEN classroom sanctioned and opened for the 2025/26 school year. This is one single grant paid by my department to replace the need for a school to apply for separate funding individually in respect of a SEN Start-Up Grant, loose F&E Grant, ICT Grant and a Sensory Room. Under this process, schools have flexibility as to how they deploy this funding subject to the understanding that this constitutes a final capital grant covering core requirements in the areas of furniture and equipment, classroom ICT, sensory room fit out grant / creation of a quiet space, and room decoration. Consequently, comprehensive data for all schools that have a sensory room in schools across the state is not readily available.

Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan (NDP), involving the completion of over 1,375 school building projects. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. A recent Government decision has approved €210m supplementary capital funding for my department to support the provision of special education accommodation and meet school place needs. This brings the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.