Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Whitmore and Brady for raising this matter. It provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position regarding the accommodation needs of the North Wicklow Educate Together secondary school for this September. As the Deputies may be aware, the school was established in 2016 and has been accommodated since then, as the Deputies said, in a leased property on the Putland Road in Bray.

The school opened with an enrolment of 36 pupils and numbers are growing incrementally, with an enrolment of 226 pupils in the 2019 to 2020 school year. I understand that the school expects an enrolment of 280 pupils for the 2020 to 2021 school year. My Department held a lease on the Putland Road property until 30 June last and has secured an extension to this lease until 31 October 2020. The school's patron is aware of this extension.

The property is not available for long-term lease and the school requires alternative accommodation to facilitate its growth. In this regard, the Department has secured the agreement of the Religious Sisters of Charity to use the former St. Philomena's primary school, Ravenswell, Bray to accommodate North Wicklow Educate Together secondary school. The legal arrangements associated with the lease are being finalised by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the owner's legal representative, and that process is expected to be completed shortly.

It is my Department's intention to have refurbishment works carried out in the building in advance of the school's occupation. In preparation for these works, various surveys were required to develop the scope of the work to be undertaken. This work was interrupted arising from Covid-19 and resumed when the restrictions were lifted. A licence agreement between my Department and the Religious Sisters of Charity is required to admit the building contractor on site to undertake the refurbishment works. The licence is being finalised by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the congregation's legal representative. This process is also expected to be completed shortly. My Department is anxious to ensure that the refurbishment works can be initiated in the building as soon as possible thereafter and will continue to keep the patron updated on progress.

My Department's planning and building unit is working closely with the school authorities and patrons, including Educate Together, to ensure that contingency arrangements are in place where necessary if a school building project is not completed in time for the start of a new school year as a result of delays caused by Covid-19.

I wish to clarify for the Deputies that my Department is continuing to prioritise this matter and will be liaising with the school's patron when a further update is available. I again thank the Deputies for giving me an opportunity to outline the position to the House and I assure them that the Department is concerned to ensure that the school's accommodation needs will most certainly be provided for.

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