Pa Daly
Question:478. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will sanction an autism unit at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45496/26]
View answerTuesday, 16 June 2026
Questions (478)
Written answers
The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department's pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation scheme for a project to provide three mainstream classrooms, one technical graphics room, one music room, one home economic room, one science lab and prep area and a two-classroom special educational needs (SEN) base and ancillary. The project is devolved to Kerry Education and training board authority for delivery.
This project is currently at Stage 2b (detailed design) of the architectural design process. The stage 2b report was submitted to my Department and is currently undergoing a comprehensive review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, are subject to the full due-diligence requirements set out in the Department’s Infrastructure Guidelines.
Although this project is not within the first tranche of school building projects recently published in the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan, it remains part of my Department’s overall pipeline of school building projects. The NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, my Department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.