David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter and the Minister of State for being here. I noticed there were announcements this morning of new schools, new builds, extensions and so on and that the schools to which I am referring this evening are part of that. When the rail link to Midleton was reopened a number of years ago, one of the conditions was that there would be a lot of land zoned and more houses built in the area to provide customers for the rail link and make it viable. This happened. Unfortunately, the scale of school building did not keep up. I know that the number of schools has been announced along with the two schools in Carrigtwohill I am mentioning. Gaelscoil Mhainistir Na Corann, Midleton Educate Together and Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy were also mentioned. Could the Minister of State get back to me about Gaelscoil Mhainistir Na Corann because there is also a delay in the Department responding to the county council with regard to a query relating to a planning condition? I would be grateful if he could have a look at that.

A proposal was made a number of years ago to amalgamate the two existing primary schools - Scoil Mhuire Naofa, which is a boys' school in Carrigtwohill, and Scoil Chlochair Mhuire, which is the girls' school - into a new 32-classroom school. There is now a concern that this school might not be big enough. Could the Minister of State address that in his response or come back to me later? This was scheduled for 2016 or 2017 but we are told today that it will proceed in 2015. They have grown to a size which exceeds the anticipated capacity of the proposed new building.

I understand there is a lack of communication between the Department and the board of management as to whether they should accept additional numbers now, but no other option is available for parents in this town. Where are the children to go if the schools cannot take them?

Additional temporary accommodation is required in both of the primary schools from next September. The county council identified problems with recent requests for temporary accommodation on the grounds of traffic impact, portacabins and limited play areas. I understand the GAA is facilitating car parking. The Department has already sanctioned seven portacabins at Scoil Mhuire Naofa since 2006, and the other school is also under pressure. Scoil Mhuire Naofa had a projected enrolment of 438 in September 2014 and it achieved 431, which was an increase of 51 on September 2013. This resulted in a gain of 38 pupils in total. It has a projected enrolment of 469 for September 2015 and 500 for 2016. These numbers are rising rapidly, and I understand the other school faces similar challenges, with 100 applications for next September. Both schools are concerned about the impact of curtailing developments on local children, many of whom have siblings in the school.

It was expected that the amalgamation of the two schools would have already proceeded to the planning stage but I understand the process is held up by site acquisition. Has a site been acquired? In response to a Parliamentary Question tabled on 2 October 2014, I was told that once the site has been acquired a design team would be appointed. What is the position on the appointment of the design team? What is the projected timeframe for design and submission of planing? The school understands that the 32 classroom amalgamated school might be built through the rapid build programme but it is estimated that the appointment of a design team consultation process with stakeholders, the design development, integrating with other services, the planning process and getting the building permits could take as long as 24 to 30 months. Is that correct? Will the new school be ready to accept pupils in September 2015 or is September 2016 more likely? I understand the 32 classroom primary school will be on the same site as the new 800-pupil second-level school. Is this correct?

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the process used to ensure that there will be adequate accommodation in schools at primary and post-primary levels to meet the demographic needs arising.

The forward planning section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. School accommodation requirements throughout the country have been considered as part of this detailed study. The five year school building programme, which was announced in March 2012, provides for a €2 billion school capital investment programme to 2016 and prioritises major school projects in areas where future significant demographic changes have been identified.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Midleton-Carrigtwohill area has been identified by my Department as one of the areas where, due to demographic changes, it is projected that there will be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post primary levels over the coming years. In that context, a number of school projects, including new buildings to facilitate the amalgamation of the two existing primary schools in Carrigtwohill and a new post-primary school, are proposed for the area and have been included in my Department's five year plan. In that regard, officials from my Department have been working in conjunction with the local authority towards securing permanent sites to meet both current and projected future needs in the area. The Deputy will be aware that there is a memorandum of understanding in place between my Department and the County and City Managers' Association. This memorandum of understanding fosters increased levels of co-operation and formalises the local authorities' role in identifying and securing sites for educational use. The level of local knowledge available under this arrangement has been critical in addressing the type of challenge presented where additional school accommodation is required in areas such as Carrigtwohill and Midleton.

Significant progress has been made on the school building project to which the Deputy referred. Agreement in principle has been reached on a suitable site, which will facilitate the provision of new buildings for the amalgamated primary schools and the new post-primary school. The conveyancing process is underway. Arrangements are being put in place to progress the building project. As the Deputy may be aware, the schools to which he refers were included in the list of projects announced today which are expected to proceed to construction in 2015. This project is being assigned to the Department's design and build programme and the school authorities will be invited to review the plans for the schools in quarter two of 2015.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I asked a series of questions pertaining to next September, the urgency of temporary accommodation and what will happen to the additional students due to enroll in 2015. Perhaps the Minister of State should visit the sites because they are already cramped.

Currently St. Aloysius is the only secondary level school in Carrigtwohill, . It is an excellent school but it is all-girls and all of the boys have to travel to Midleton, Glanmire, Fermoy or Cobh. Can the Minister of State clarify the stage that the second-level school building project has reached? Today's announcement indicates that the primary and post-primary schools will go to construction in 2015. The Minister of State indicated that the school authorities will be invited to review the plans in the second quarter of 2015. If they are only reviewing the plans in the second quarter, which is in April, May or June, when will we see shovels on the ground? I am alarmed at the pace of development.

The Department was advised of concerns expressed by Cork County Council about traffic and flood risk in respect of the road network during the pre-planning consultation last year. Have these issues been resolved? If the Minister of State cannot provide responses to my questions now, I would be grateful if he could revert to me with this information. The primary schools have been seeking a meeting with the Department and the county council to confirm the size of the amalgamated primary school, interim arrangements to meet demand for primary places, projections for future placements and any proposals for another primary school in the area. Will this meeting be facilitated? We urgently need communication and information.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I cannot give the Deputy all of the information he requested but I will raise the issues directly. The plan is that construction will proceed before the end of 2015. This means the temporary accommodation will have to be addressed in September but there is a drive to begin construction in 2015 and I presume the project will be completed in 2016. It was in the five year plan and I can confirm that is on track. I cannot confirm the site location because it is still at conveyancing stage but it is close to completion. We can try to commence design earlier than quarter two but that is the worst case scenario.

In regard to traffic and other problems, I understand these are being discussed with the local authority. The reason for involving it with site selection was to address these problems and assist at the planning stage. I can certainly request a meeting and find out if it is necessary. It might not be necessary if the issues have been addressed but I acknowledge the concerns that the Deputy expressed. The second-level is also progressing to design stage. The story is positive overall and I will revert to the Deputy with the further information sought. I accept there have been delays in acquiring the site and progressing to planning stage but everyone, including the local authority, has played a part in ensuring the right site is selected.