John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh. I thank the Deputies for raising the issue as it gives me the opportunity to set out the position in regard to the interim accommodation needs of Pelletstown Educate Together national school. The school is currently in interim accommodation at Ashtown Road, Rathborne, Dublin 15, on a privately owned site and currently has sufficient accommodation.

In September 2019, the school will require additional interim accommodation. Officials at my Department are aware of the additional accommodation requirements of the school and work is ongoing to ensure sufficient suitable additional accommodation will be available to the school for September 2019. The Department has been seeking the landlord’s permission to install the two prefabs that will be required for September 2019. The landlord has recently given consent and the Department is currently working on the planning application, which will be lodged with Dublin City Council shortly.

With regard to the permanent school building project for the school, I am pleased to advise that the Department has secured the permanent site for the school and planning permission has been lodged with the city council. Providing the planning process runs smoothly and no issues arise, the project is scheduled to be on site in quarter 2, 2019. It is intended that construction will take place in a manner to allow for a phased handover of sufficient accommodation to meet the school's need by the end of January 2020. Phase 2 of the project is expected to be ready for quarter 3, 2020.

The Department is in regular contact, and holds monthly meeting, with the schools patron body in regarding to this and a number of other projects under its remit and will continue to keep the school's patron body fully informed of progress.

Deputy Burton asked the reason for the delay in submitting the planning application. The Department was not in a position to submit a planning application until consent was received from the landowner. The necessary consent has now been received and the Department will shortly submit the planning application for the additional accommodation required for September 2019 to the local authority.

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