Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2026
14. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the capital works for a school (details supplied) which has been waiting on ASD classrooms, a sensory room and a general purpose hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29137/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn extension project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of projects and has been devolved to the school authority to progress. As a first step, interim accommodation was approved for the school to support the establishment of special classes at the school.
A Stage 1 Design Report for the project was submitted to my Department in Q4 2023. Following an initial review and a preliminary Stage 1 meeting, the design team was requested to further develop the design in line with the guidance provided and submit a revised Stage 1 report for my Department’s consideration. A revised report was submitted by the school authority in January 2026 and is currently under review. As with all school building projects, this project will be subject to the necessary due diligence outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines and will be considered within the context of overall programme prioritisation and NDP funding parameters.
My Department’s NDP Sectoral Investment Plan sets out my department’s focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs, particularly to support special education needs provision. This targeted project rollout will build on significant capital investment across the school estate in recent years, including over €146 million in capital funding for Laois schools since 2020.
The next step for the project under reference will be the provision of any technical comments on the revised Stage 1 report with a view to completing the Stage 1 process. My officials will be in contact with the school shortly in this regard.
