Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I asked directly this question of my officials, in other words whether Holy Family junior national school can be expanded, and they answered directly it is maxed out in terms of the existing accommodation, permanent and temporary, and the current devolved grant development is to replace existing prefab accommodation. That will leave the site constricted. Also, any development of the junior national school has implications for the senior national school. All pupils from the junior national school progress to the senior national school. The site of the senior national school has no capacity for further development, hence the need to control the junior infant intake. In other words, it is not sustainable, as the Deputy is suggesting, to expand the school. That is not a sustainable solution. This is the advice of the Department. I understand the patron has advised the junior national school can accommodate the pupils on the waiting list in September 2018. As I said, other schools in the catchment have the capacity to meet the demand and can expand this capacity if necessary. This is the position. Obviously when a site such as this is maxed out and there is a growing need we need to look at the need for an additional school. I have no doubt that will be on the agenda very shortly in the Swords area. The advice to me is very clear that the capacity is not there to expand the school the Deputy wants to have expanded. We have to have other offerings made to accommodate those families. That is what the Department is doing. If I had a solution to this I would offer it. We are not trying to be obtuse. I will certainly convey the concerns, which I know other Deputies have raised in the House. I know it is a genuine concern the Deputy is raising.

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