Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
453. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has any specific plans to undertake building works to expand a school (details supplied) in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45111/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to confirm to the Deputy that a provisional offer has issued to the school for the delivery of additional accommodation under my department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The offer consists of two modular special education classrooms and the repurposing of existing space to provide an additional mainstream classroom and resource space. This approach is intended to address the school’s current accommodation and health and safety needs.
Since 2020, over €6.9 billion has been invested in schools nationwide under the National Development Plan. This has supported the completion of more than 1,400 school building projects and over 4,000 small-scale improvement works to address priority maintenance, enhance energy efficiency, and support climate goals. In addition, the repurposing and optimisation of existing school accommodation has been a key factor in enabling the timely provision of special class places. Approximately 80% of new special classes in the 2025/26 school year are being delivered through the use of existing classroom space. This investment has delivered significant benefits for school communities.
A total capital allocation of €7.55 billion has been confirmed for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026–2030 under the National Development Plan. This will include a strong focus on provision for children with special educational needs, particularly in meeting annual demand for school places.
In progressing both large-scale projects and those under the ASA Scheme, priority will be given to maximising the use of existing school capacity in the first instance. Additional capacity will then be delivered through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the period 2026 to 2030 to address the most urgent needs.
As part of the NDP Implementation Plan for the education and youth sector, an initial tranche of projects progressing to tender and/or construction in 2026 and 2027 was published in January 2026. Further tranches will be identified over the lifetime of the Plan, with stakeholder consultation commencing in June 2026. The Implementation Plan seeks to maximise outputs from available funding by prioritising projects where local school capacity is insufficient, while ensuring value for money and the delivery of appropriate and functional accommodation.
Department officials engaged directly with representatives of the school recently in relation to the offer of accommodation. As soon as agreement to the offer is received the matter will be progressed.
