Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. As both Deputies said, I am familiar with the issue. It has been brought to my attention. I thank both Deputies for outlining the situation and indicating that there is a great deal of concern about the location of this school.

The new school building will see some 800 students benefit from state of the art classrooms and facilities. Eureka secondary school, along with all the other schools included in bundle 5, which is part of the public private partnership, PPP, process, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016. It is envisaged that construction of this bundle of school projects will begin approximately 18 months prior to this target completion date. The delivery of this school through the PPP process is being carried out with the assistance of the National Development Finance Agency, NDFA.

The Deputies are aware that a site in Kells was acquired by my Department in 2007. This site is considered suitable for the development of the planned post-primary school and on this basis the project for Eureka secondary school was included for delivery under the PPP schools bundle 5. In that respect, work has already begun on the design of these schools and site investigations are scheduled to take place shortly. As part of the recent review of the Kells Development Plan 2013-2019, the members of the local authority approved a request from my Department to rezone the land to provide for community infrastructure, which includes educational facilities. The site is in the Department's ownership.

Ongoing representations, which have been repeated here today and to which I am listening carefully, have been made to my Department regarding the alternative site zoned in Kells for educational provision. Leaving aside that this site is not in the Department's ownership, although there have been clear indications that ownership could be available on the basis of a land swap, as I understand is the case with any proper accommodation to our benefit, several factors need to be taken into account. These include technical feasibility, associated development costs and implications for timely delivery of the project.

As part of the preliminary work to progress the PPP project, preparation of planning and surveys has commenced. This preliminary work will indicate whether any significant additional development costs are likely to be incurred in respect of the existing site in the Department's ownership. These facts will also inform the decision process. The Department will take all relevant factors into account when considering the outcome of this preliminary work, with a view to ensuring that the best interests of the taxpayer and the school community are served. I have heard very clearly, not for the first time, that it is the wish of the representatives in the area, and I am reliably informed, of parents and school communities, to have a consolidated education campus. We have some time in which to examine this particular site to see if what the two Deputies have said actually stands up. Without prejudice to any final decision I will undertake to expedite that so there will be some degree of certainty.

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