Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
373. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a decision will issue in respect of the application for additional special classes at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13907/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter my Department's pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The project will provide one engineering room and prep area, one music room and a three class special education needs (SEN) base. This project was devolved to the school authority for delivery.
The project progressed to Stage 2b (detailed design) in March 2023, and final planning permission was granted in August 2023. In June 2025, my Department requested submission of the Stage 2b report, which is still awaited. Once received, the report will undergo a comprehensive technical and cost review. All projects, including this one, are subject to the full due-diligence requirements set out in my Department’s infrastructure guidelines.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This 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.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My Department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027. This list includes 3 projects in County Monaghan, and this summer, another 3 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme/Climate Action Scheme.
These projects are in addition to €104.41 million in capital funding for Monaghan schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 24 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are also currently 4 school projects in Monaghan under construction.
I recognise that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
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, the 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.
