Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1176. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on an application made by a school (details supplied) under the additional accommodation scheme for two modular classrooms and re-configuration of two small classrooms into one; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43002/25]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that two modular classrooms are approved for a school (details supplied), as per their application under the additional accommodation scheme, to ensure that the efforts they have made to open an autism classroom is supported and that they can ensure integration from both the mainstream and autism class, in line with her Department’s own guidelines on best practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43003/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that my department only recently, on the 4th of July 2025, received an application under the Additional School Accommodation scheme from the school in question.

The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation 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 other schools in the area.

The Government has now concluded the review of the National Development Plan which sets out the capital allocations for each Government Department for the 2026 to 2030 period.

The NDP outcome involves an allocation of €7.55bn for the Department of Education & Youth for the 2026 to 2030 period. This equates to an average of €1.51bn per annum with some front-loading in the initial period as set out in the table below:

Department of Education & Youth - Breakdown of €7.55bn into annual allocations for 2026-2030 period

Each Department is now tasked to develop implementation plans based on their NDP Allocations. Our target will be to have this done and published in the Autumn. This will involve my Department’s Planning & Building Unit undertaking a review and analysis to determine the optimum outputs to be achieved from the €7.55bn allocation with a strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and in relation to project delivery ensuring a continued focus on affordability, value for money and functionality.

Some key points to note in relation to the NDP funding include the following:

• It will facilitate the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction to deliver over 22,300 school places in new and modernised accommodation across primary, post-primary and special schools. Most of these projects are expected to be completed over the course of 2026 and 2027.
• Its use will place a strong emphasis on supporting children with special educational needs in relation to the annual requirements for special classes and places in special schools through continuing to maximise and re-purpose existing capacity as much as possible and through the provision of modular accommodation where determined necessary by the Department. It is envisaged that this will involve the provision of circa. 14,000 school places in special classes and special schools over the course of the 2026 to 2030 period to meet necessary annual requirements.
• In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional Accommodation Scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.