Dáil debates

Tuesday, 9 April 2019

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

School Accommodation Provision

8:35 pm

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. It is a little disappointing, although in fairness, I would not expect him to have the full details of some of the changes taking place. It is important for him to understand there are very significant demographic and residential changes occurring in this area, both at the Citywest end of the school area and in Rathcoole and Newcastle. The concern Deputy Curran and I have is that the demographic analysis of the ETB and the Department's assessments that informed the capital plan are out of date and do not take into account the new residential developments that are taking place there.

We have two problems. First, there are somewhere between 15 and 19 families who today do not know if they will have appropriate school places for their children next September. We are asking the Minister to work with us to try to resolve that issue alongside the schools in Rathcoole.

Second, we are asking the Minister and the Department to look again at the demographic data to reassess whether we need an additional capital investment in the Rathcoole area. I am sure the three Deputies present and our colleague Deputy Gino Kenny will be very keen to meet the Minister and his departmental officials to talk through the finer details. If the Minister can give us a commitment to do this, we will organise it in the next few weeks.

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