Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

9 o’clock

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the status of the provision of accommodation for Greystones community college. On 17 December 2019 it was announced that the patronage of the new post-primary school for Greystones-Kilcoole was awarded to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB. It had been the intention to open the community college in the newly constructed community national school building in September 2020 but this has not proved possible. Greystones community college opened its doors to 64 first year students on Friday, 28 August 2020 in Greystones Lawn Tennis Club. The school, KWETB and my Department are grateful to Greystones Lawn Tennis Club for facilitating Greystones community college. I acknowledge the efforts of the entire school community in preparing the accommodation for the school's opening in these particularly difficult circumstances.

As the Deputy will be aware, the building project to deliver a new 1,000-pupil school for Greystones community college is planned for the designated post-primary site at Charlesland. My Department is committed to delivering this site for the new post-primary school for the Greystones and Kilcoole area of County Wicklow and work is ongoing to achieve this as soon as possible. Discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. As the Deputy will appreciate, any site acquisition process can be lengthy and there can be complex issues which need to be addressed during negotiations, technical assessments and conveyancing. At all times, my Department must strive to obtain best value for the Exchequer while seeking to complete the acquisition as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The project to deliver the permanent accommodation for the school is to be delivered under the Department's design and build programme. As soon as there is sufficient certainty in respect of completion of the site acquisition, the architectural planning and design stage will be completed and, following grant of planning permission, the project will be expedited to tender and construction stages.

I am aware of the issues the Deputy has outlined regarding the current accommodation. I again acknowledge the work that went into making that accommodation available. She will be aware of the difficulties with the proposed accommodation that was being made available. My Department is in ongoing discussions with the contractor on that and it will be expedited as quickly as possible.

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