Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Deputy Ó Fearghaíl for raising this matter and for giving me the opportunity to outline the position regarding the Sundai school campus in Newbridge, County Kildare.

A school previously used to educate Japanese nationals is owned by the Department of Education and Science. The school, with its associated facilities, was acquired with a view to housing a nearby special school and a Gaelscoil. While the Gaelscoil transferred satisfactorily to the campus, the accommodation proved to be unsuitable for the special school. Accordingly, a stand-alone portion of the accommodation was not utilised and remains so as of now.

In 2003, Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara commenced operation in Newbridge without recognition from the Department of Education and Science. It had an enrolment of eight pupils at that time. An application for State recognition as a voluntary secondary school under the patronage of An Foras Patrúnachta subsequently ensued and temporary recognition was granted for three years with effect from 1 September 2004.

Central to the decision to grant temporary recognition was the apparent demand for all-Irish post-primary education in the area. In this regard, the Department of Education and Science was satisfied that the school had the potential to develop into a school of circa 200 pupils over a period. Its enrolment as of 30 September 2005 was 47 pupils.

At the time temporary recognition was granted, the patron body was notified, in writing, of the terms and conditions underpinning recognition. In this regard, the patron has sole responsibility for the critically important matter of accommodation. It was made clear that the accommodation sourced by the patron would be required to meet the needs of the school as it developed and that schools in temporary recognition mode do not qualify for capital funding. In the event of permanent recognition being granted, interim accommodation would remain the patron's responsibility until the Department was in a position to provide permanent accommodation.

In subsequent correspondence the patron was also informed that the vacant buildings on the Sundai site had been earmarked for other educational purposes, specifically for a school which has secured permanent recognition and is, therefore, qualified to attract capital funding. This remains the position and the Department of Education and Science is completely satisfied that there can be no misunderstanding on the patron's behalf in this matter.

On 13 January 2006, the Minister for Education and Science announced details of 62 large-scale building projects which have been approved to start architectural planning. Included in these projects is the refurbishment of the unused part of the Sundai campus to facilitate Newbridge Educate Together national school. This school received permanent recognition in 2004, thereby qualifying it for capital funding.

Plans for the delivery of this project are well under way in the Department. Consistent with the protocols for schools with temporary recognition, Newbridge Educate Together national school sourced its own temporary accommodation until it received permanent recognition and it will continue to do so until its new building has been delivered. With regard to schools of differing ethos sharing a site, I take this opportunity to point out that such arrangements will form an unequivocal feature of the educational landscape into the future to the extent that it will not be unusual to find a more significant range of school types on one site. It is intended, however, that while individual schools will be arranged so that certain facilities can be shared to avoid duplication, schools will otherwise be structured to enable them to operate independently of one another to protect their individual ethos.

I thank the Deputy for providing this opportunity to me to outline unequivocally the plans of the Department of Education and Science for the Sundai school campus. This is important to remove any uncertainty which the patron, board of management, teachers, parents and pupils of the Newbridge Educate Together school might feel over this issue. The Department's plans to develop the school on the Sundai campus are well on track. The issue of permanent accommodation for Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara will be considered by officials in the Department of Education and Science when it has permanent recognition.

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