Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, is here this evening to respond to this issue concerning the land in Harold's Cross which was purchased by his Department during the summer and the purpose for which that land will be used by it, which is an important issue for the people in my constituency and beyond.

The Minister will be aware that a number of years ago his Department approved the opening of a new post-primary school to service the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 postal districts. It has been communicated to the persons involved in the new school that the school will open in September 2018. As the Minister will no doubt be aware, following a patronage process announced by his Department in early 2016, Educate Together was approved the patronage of the new secondary school. Since then, in May of this year it was announced that the Department of Education and Skills had purchased the former greyhound track in Harold's Cross and it is to be used to accommodate new schools. In terms of this Topical Issue, I am asking the Minister to consider the use of the land in Harold's Cross to accommodate the new Educate Together secondary school. It is a priority in the area that this school is constructed as soon as possible.

For the purpose of determining whether a new school was required, the Department carried out a report on the patronage of the school and what catchment area was suitable for a new school. As I said, it was concluded that a school was needed to serve the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 areas. Taking that area of land, the meeting point in terms of the areas to be covered by the new school is an area near my constituency called La Touche Bridge. It is the centre point of the catchment area. In terms of the land available at the former greyhound track in Harold's Cross, it is the ideal location for the new school as it is only 1.4 km from La Touche Bridge. I suggest that it would be an ideal location. It is important that steps are taken to establish a new multi-denominational, co-educational, non-fee paying secondary school in the area. Many of the secondary schools in the area are single sex fee paying schools. They are all excellent schools but there is limited choice for parents who wish to send their children to a non-fee paying school or a secondary school that is multi-denominational and co-educational.

I understand that Educate Together has done a considerable amount of work in respect of assessing the demand for this school. The demand exists. There is ample land at the former greyhound track to facilitate construction of a school and playing fields. There is an urgency around this issue in light of the announcement that the school will open in September 2018. There are many stands beneath the former greyhound stadium that could be converted to classrooms on a temporary basis. I urge the Minister to give consideration to constructing the new school on this land, which is in the centre of the catchment area, has been purchased by his Department, and would be hugely popular in the area.

See this speech in context