Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I have heard both Deputies loud and clear, and I have noted their frustration and passion. I thank them for raising this matter on behalf of their constituents. It provides the Department with an opportunity to clarify the position on the proposed interim move of Drogheda ETSS from its existing location on Mill Street to the State-owned Louth and Meath Education and Training Board site, which I know is at Rathmullan Road, Drogheda.

Drogheda ETSS is a co-educational post-primary school that opened in September 2019 as a regional solution to meet the demand for additional post-primary school places in the Drogheda and Laytown school planning areas. Regional solutions are generally put in place where projected growth in a single school planning area may not, of itself, warrant the provision of a new school. Where the combined demographic increase across a number of adjacent school planning areas indicates insufficient demand for a viable school, then a regional solution may be put in place to serve the areas.

As Deputy O'Dowd pointed out, Drogheda ETSS currently has an enrolment of 110 pupils, based on figures from 2020, and a staffing allocation for this year of 12.5 whole-time equivalent teachers. As we know, it is on a temporary site at Mill Road. The school was originally located on a temporary site in Laytown when it first opened, in September 2019.

As the Deputies are aware, a building project for Drogheda ETSS is included on my Department's school building programme to be delivered under the national development plan as soon as a new site is identified. In this regard, my Department continues to undertake a site-identification process in respect of suitable sites for the permanent school. To date, it has proven challenging to identify suitable available sites in the area in question. Currently, the Department is undertaking an assessment of two potential sites. Obtaining a site for the permanent location of Drogheda ETSS is a priority for my Department. I will be bringing the comments of the Deputies to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Foley.

In October 2020, the school authority submitted a request through its patron body for additional accommodation to enable it to enrol at least 72 pupils for September 2021 at the Mill Road site. The school authority had outlined its concerns about health and safety, curriculum provision, special education needs, child protection and Covid-19 safety in respect of the school's current location on Mill Road. As the Deputies are aware, there is a demand for additional post-primary school places in Drogheda for September 2021, and my Department wishes to facilitate Drogheda ETSS in ultimately growing to a 1,000-pupil school upon the delivery of its new school building on a permanent site while also addressing the need for additional post-primary school places in Drogheda for September 2021 and subsequent years.

Suffice it to say that the demand for accommodation for September 2021 and future years cannot be met at the Mill Road site.

I reassure the Deputies that the Department is meeting with the patron body tomorrow morning regarding its September 2021 requirements across its network of schools, including Drogheda ETSS.

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