Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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1241. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding stream available to a school (details supplied) to apply to extend a sports hall given that they are ineligible under additional school accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43712/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Investment and expenditure on PE Halls is an element of the overall School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings.

A future strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving-certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.

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 and 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 and 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 roll-out 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.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1242. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the issues outlined in correspondence (details supplied) can be urgently addressed, and circular 0010/2013 updated as its criteria are too rigid and its parameters now outdated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43746/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1243. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if three specific questions raised in correspondence (details supplied) can be addressed; and if a pathway can be provided for specialists to engage with policymakers to ensure that policy revision and policies reflect international best standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43747/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1242 and 1243 together.

The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by my Department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme supports children who require essential specialist equipment in order to access the school curriculum.

As outlined in circular 0010/2013, the purpose of Assistive Technology Scheme is to provide grant aid to schools to enable them to purchase essential specialist equipment. This applies in cases where the existing equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs without unduly depriving other children of access to the equipment and where the absence of such equipment would prevent the child from accessing the curriculum.

The Special Education Section is currently finalising a review of the Assistive Technology Scheme. This review will culminate in the publication of a new circular and the launch of an updated online application process.

A key objective of the review is to streamline the application process. This will be achieved through the implementation of a new portal for schools to submit applications, as well as a review of the eligibility criteria. The Department aims to shift the scheme from a diagnosis-based approach to a needs-based approach, granting schools greater autonomy in determining whether a child requires assistive technology to access the curriculum.

As part of the review process, my Department has been consulting with key stakeholders such as:

• National Council for Special Education (NCSE)
• National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS)
• Disability advocacy groups and parent bodies who represent the voice of children who currently benefit from the scheme.

The type of evidence base considered most effective in supporting a policy revision is a combination of quantitative and qualitative data as well as comparative policy analysis. In terms of the Assistive Technology scheme, this includes, but is not limited to:

• comparing the level of applications for assistive technology that were approved versus not approved over a set period
• reviewing turnaround processing times (from application to receipt)
• identifying barriers to access (e.g. need for a professional report before making application, maintenance of, and training in the use of assistive technology)
• conducting surveys with multiple stakeholders to gather feedback
• aligning with international best practices, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

My Department remains committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.