Dáil debates

Thursday, 8 July 2021

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Schools Building Projects

7:30 pm

Photo of Paul DonnellyPaul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Reflecting on some of the answers given by the Minister of State, it is the opinion of the Danu Community Special School, Riversdale Community College and the parents that the agreement made stipulated that there would be temporary classrooms in Riversdale Community College, those classrooms would be refurbished and then a new school would be built on the site. The parents themselves strongly believe that it is not suitable for children with additional needs to be co-located in the long term in the same building as a post-primary school with more than 1,000 students attending. I spoke to those parents again just today, including to some who have been part of this process all along, and they believe that even the site which has been proposed adjacent to Riversdale Community College is not going to be a suitable site for the students concerned. Those parents have made a request in respect of the site of the current Edmund Rice school located on the site of the old Institute of Horology. The school is moving from that site in September 2022, hopefully, if the relevant building works commence soon and are completed on time.

The parents I was talking to today hope that site at the old Institute of Horology could be looked at as a much more suitable location for the Danu Community Special School because it is secluded, secure, has a peaceful and serene atmosphere around it in the Tolka Valley and is also very accessible from Blanchardstown village, which has many services. It would mean students could also learn social skills by being brought out into the village because that site is so close. The parents concerned do not believe that Riversdale Community College is an appropriate location for a permanent future site for Danu Community Special School. I gather from the Minister of State's comments that this is not a done deal in respect of a permanent site being located at Riversdale Community College and that there is potential for another site to be acquired elsewhere. It is necessary to sit down and agree on such an approach.

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