Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this topic and the Minister for being present for this debate. Ballincollig is the largest town in my constituency and in County Cork. It has a rapidly growing schoolgoing population. A sign of that is that in recent times approval was given for a new primary school, Gaelscoil an Chaisleáin. The issue of a permanent site for that school is still to be resolved.

Last September, the latest addition to the educational network in Ballincollig opened with Le Chéile Secondary School. That is a welcome development and it reflects the reality of the burgeoning demand for additional school places. The annual issue that arises concerning children going from primary to secondary school in Ballincollig concerns where in the town they will get a placement. Up to now, many have been forced to travel outside of Ballincollig. I was approached last night by a parent whose child is number 60+ on a standby list for admission to Ballincollig Community School. I do not have the exact numbers for Coláiste Choilm, but I suspect it is the same. This heightens anxiety among parents and pupils who are sitting next to peers who have been offered a placement and wondering where they will be going to school next year.

Against that backdrop, Le Chéile Secondary School was opened last September and was a welcome addition to the educational infrastructure in Ballincollig. Unfortunately, the school received a significant setback last week when Cork City Council issued a refusal of planning permission to the Minister. I have, courtesy of my colleague in Ballincollig, Councillor Garret Kelleher, a copy of the city council's decision.

While it indicates that there was pre-planning done by the Department of Education in consultation with the city council, any reading of the planner's report and the terms of the refusal would bring into question why the Department felt it was appropriate to pursue this planning application and waste time. While I acknowledge the support of the local GAA club in facilitating the site, it is clear that the site is dead in the water for the reasons enunciated in the planning refusal and that we now need to move on. We need to work with all stakeholders to get a solution.

Of particular importance is ASD provision for September 2022. While Ballincollig has a positive network of educational establishments, it is sadly lacking in ASD provision. I have seen cases of children from Ballincollig having to go to Farran, Berrings and elsewhere for ASD provision. Fortunately, this issue has begun to be addressed recently and there are now ASD units in primary schools in Ballincollig - I acknowledge the role of Mr. Gerry Ryan, the special educational needs organiser, SENO, in that regard - but the only ASD provision available for the classes graduating from primary school next September was to be on the Le Chéile campus. I ask the Minister to give a clear commitment and signal in replying to this matter that, if we do nothing else, the ASD unit will be up and running for next September. I ask her to ensure that all of the stakeholders meet and her Department takes a proactive position. We need to ensure that enrolment proceeds next September. There are 120 pupils who have been offered places in Le Chéile for next year and there are 60 on standby in one of the secondary schools already. We have a clear problem.

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