Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the points the Deputy has made, especially the point regarding the students who have moved through the years. I understand the impact on the entire school community, including the staff of the school, the board of management, the parents and, as I said, the students themselves. The Deputy will also appreciate, however, that, as with any application for planning permission, there is always the risk of refusal. In this case, the planning application was made and, unfortunately, that was the outcome. To reduce the associated risks the Department has engaged the services of a planning consultant to assist with the planning process. Discussions have also taken place with the planners and engineers of Cork City Council, which is important, and also with representatives of the roads and transport division of the council, which is significant as that is where there is an issue. A formal pre-planning meeting has also taken place. The application will aim to address any concerns raised by the previous refusal of planning permission by Cork County Council and we are moving this forward at pace.

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