Thomas Gould
Question:93. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education for an update on the review by her Department of an engineer’s report for a school (details supplied). [30479/24]
View answerThursday, 11 July 2024
Questions (93)
Written answers
I can advise the Deputy that the review of the accommodation needs of the school in question and of the other schools in the school planning area is on-going.
By way of background, my department received an application under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2021 from the school in question. The application was for funding for the provision of three special education needs classrooms on foot of the sanction of three ASD special classes by the NCSE in February 2021. The department’s Technical team carried out an in-depth review of the school site in 2021. The review confirmed that the school and the site are at maximum capacity and that it would not be possible to provide the required accommodation on site unless vast amounts of existing single storey accommodation was to be demolished and replaced with two storey accommodation. At that time, considering all the relevant impediments to deliver the brief of accommodation and the site constraints, the Department was not in a position to provide funding for the significant demolition of the school building. In light of this, officials in my department contacted the NCSE to advise them of same and to establish the special classes in other schools in the area.
In January of this year the NCSE reconfirmed the sanction of 3 special education needs classes at the school in question. The Board of Management subsequently submitted an engineer’s condition report to the department in support of their proposal to knock and rebuild a portion of the school building. In view of the reconfirmed sanction by the NCSE and the engineer's condition report my department agreed to review the contents of the report.
I can confirm to the Deputy that in tandem with this review officials from my department have met with the Patron of the school in question with a view to resolving the accommodation needs of special class pupils at the school and in the general area. Officials in my department have also been engaging with the school directly.