Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State. This matter, which is of significant interest to taxpayers, students, parents, teachers and local communities, concerns the planning permission delays relating to the new Educate Together secondary school on Mill Road, Colpe, Drogheda. The current site was leased to the Department in June 2019. On 17 February 2021, the Department purchased 11 acres to deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary building and accommodation including six classrooms for children with special educational needs. At the end of last year, the total cost of supplying temporary accommodation for pupils had reached €14.3 million.

When questioned by Dáil Deputies last week, the Minister claimed that the Department of Education is awaiting a letter of consent from the owner of the adjacent land. The latter happens to be the landowner from whom the Department bought the site. According to the Drogheda Independent, Phil Reilly of Shannon Homes, who owns the adjacent site, denies there is any outstanding issue with regard to the letter of consent. He is unaware of the circumstances relating to the delayed planning application from the Department to Meath County Council. Mr. Reilly stated that half the existing temporary modular school accommodation will need to be moved to facilitate the permanent build. I note from the Minister's response to Deputy Nash last week that the Department has no plans to install additional modular accommodation for the 2024-25 academic year. Some 120 children have already enrolled for this academic year. Where are they to go?

The matter to be dealt with today is the planning permission. Last week, Meath County Council told me engagement has begun with the Department. If planning is launched now, it will take three years to build a school. How can we leave 600 children in prefabs, surrounded by acres of empty fields, without any playing pitches for the next three years? The mental and physical health of these children is being completely disregarded. Having already spent €14 million, surely the Department can ensure a playing pitch is provided. I ask the Minister of State to please give the school and its students some hope. When will the planning permission application be lodged with the council to progress this much-needed education facility?

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator. She is in no way tight on time. I remind all Senators that we cannot identify persons, irrespective of the situation-----

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Details were published in newspapers.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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We cannot do so. It is the rule. I am sorry.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Okay.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it allows me an opportunity to update the House on the current position in respect of the provision of a new school building for Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School, ETSS.

Drogheda ETSS is a coeducational post-primary school under the patronage of Educate Together. It was established in September 2019 as a start-up second level school as a regional solution to serve the combined Drogheda and Laytown school planning areas. The permanent school building project for Drogheda ETSS is being developed under the Department’s design and build programme. As the Senator stated, the programme will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school building and accommodation, including six classrooms for children with special educational needs. Representatives of the school have viewed the plans for the new school in advance of submitting the planning application.

The Department has been liaising with an adjacent landowner regarding a letter of consent which is required as part of the planning permission. Although this element of the planning application preparation is outside of the control of the Department, I can confirm that agreement in principle has been reached with the landowner in respect of providing the letter of consent and the matter is expected to be concluded shortly. Once the letter of consent has been received, the planning application can be lodged within a matter of days. All going well, we expect that the planning application will be lodged soon.

Since 2020, the Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in schools throughout the country, involving the completion of 800 school building projects. Construction is currently under way at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 34 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of €1.2 billion. There are also 90 projects currently at the tender process, including a further 28 new school buildings. All these new school buildings are flagship projects in their area and transform the education infrastructure for those school communities. This is a record level of investment in schools and this highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for school communities.

Going back to the core point raised by the Senator, I can confirm that agreement has been reached in principle with the landowner with regard to providing the letter of consent. We expect it to be concluded very shortly. In the normal way, once that letter of consent has been received, the planning application will be lodged within a matter of days. I expect that to happen soon. I hope this is welcome news for the pupils of Drogheda ETSS, their principal and the teachers and parents,.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the fact the Department has received the letter of consent in recent days and that it has been in negotiations with Meath County Council.The planning application should be made within a matter of weeks and I will be keeping a very close eye on that.

There are currently 600 students on that site, with another 120 students due to arrive in September of this year. The Government has stated it will not provide any more temporary accommodation on the site, so where are those children to go? That is obviously a different matter and I will have to submit another Commencement Matter on it, but today has been a good day in terms of the news regarding the planning permission application for the site.

I will be back to the Government regarding the 600 students already there and where they and the additional 120 students are going to go. There is also the issue of sports facilities and playing pitches for those children during their academic years there. Three years without pitches is not good enough.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Keogan for raising this important matter. The Department will continue to keep the patron and school updated as the project progresses and on interim accommodation, pending delivery of the permanent project for the school. I have no doubt this is a matter Senator Keogan will take up directly with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, but I will also draw it to her attention. There is ongoing communication between the Department and the patron of the school on both the planning application and the interim accommodation. I wish the school well.