Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
485. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of plans for permanent accommodation at a school (details supplied); when approval was first sought for permanent building works; the stage the project is currently at within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3432/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for additional accommodation. On foot of this application modular accommodation comprising two Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms, and one Special Education Tuition (SET) classroom was delivered in April 2024 and is currently in place and operational. Modular accommodation provides a high-quality, modern learning environment that is both functional and adaptable. It offers a well-designed, comfortable space that effectively meets the school’s current needs while allowing flexibility for future requirements.
In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School 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.
The NDP Implementation Plan for the Education and Youth sector and the first tranche of projects to progress to construction will be published by my department shortly. This NDP Implementation Plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit had recent engagement with the school and will look into the issues raised by the school and will continue to work with the school to ensure that current and future school place needs are addressed. There will be further contact with the school principal shortly.
