John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank my colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, for designating the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, to answer this question. I am grateful for that. Firhouse Educate Together post-primary school is to cater for 1,000 pupils, and it may be the only such school planned for my constituency. I welcome the efforts made by officials, management, staff and all the stakeholders in securing a site for a much-needed permanent home for this school, which will house 1,000 pupils when it is complete. A formal planning application has been submitted to South Dublin County Council for temporary accommodation at a site adjacent to Ballycullen Green, which is off the Old Court Road in Ballycullen–Firhouse. It is a site which will not be without its challenges, particularly regarding access, traffic movement, etc.

However, the reason I chose this subject for a Topical Issue debate centres on my concerns regarding the manner in which the Department of Education took a decision, pending the outcome of the planning application by the Department for a temporary site for the school, to relocate Firhouse Educate Together secondary school to the grounds of the existing Firhouse Community College, which has been in that community for many years. I understand the decision was made to ensure Firhouse Educate Together secondary school opens in September, which I welcome. My concern, though, relates to the manner in which that decision was communicated to Firhouse Community College and to the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, DDLETB, was truly poor. It caused a great deal of genuine and deep hurt and upset to the management, students, parents association and staff of Firhouse Community College.

I think the principal just heard about the decision the night before the news was made public. Until that stage, I do not think Firhouse Community College had considered that it was really a live option being considered by the Department of Education. It was a shock to hear the news that Firhouse Educate Together secondary school will be temporarily located on the grounds of Firhouse Community College from September, and the college will have no say in that. Equally, people who live in neighbouring estates, residents associations and parents councils will have no input into this decision. The decision had been made.

Therefore, there are several pieces to pick up and several questions to pose regarding this matter. First, I ask that the Minister of State communicate to the Minister for Education that this process was handled in a disrespectful manner when it comes to Firhouse Community College. I put that on the record tonight. In organising the temporary relocation of Firhouse Educate Together post-primary school to the grounds of Firhouse Community College, a commitment was given that it will be for a maximum of a year. I want a commitment and a guarantee from the Minister for Education that that is the case.

If the separate ongoing planning application is successful, then that will ensure the relocation to the grounds of Firhouse Community College will be temporary. An appeal or prolonged process regarding the planning application for temporary accommodation on another site, however, will cause real concern to the parents, staff and management of Firhouse Community College. Can it be guaranteed and committed to that the temporary relocation will be for an absolute maximum of one academic year?

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it allows me to provide an update to the House on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, who is unavailable, on the current position in relation to the provision of interim and permanent accommodation for Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School, ETSS, The school will have approximately 1,000 pupils, illustrating the very strong demand in the area for this project to be completed.

Firhouse ETSS opened in September 2018 in vacant classrooms in the permanent school building of Firhouse Educate Together Primary School on an education campus shared with the permanent 16-classroom school for Gaelscoil na Giúise. In September 2019, the Department put in place arrangements with Gaelscoil na Giúise and its patron body, An Foras Pátrúnachta, to use some vacant classrooms in the Gaelscoil for Firhouse ETSS. However, it is not possible for the secondary school to continue to operate in its current location for the coming school year as the space is not available and the agreement with Gaelscoil na Giúise and An Foras Pátrúnachta was that the arrangement would be for the 2020-21 school year only. Consequently, alternative arrangements are being progressed.

A planning application for interim accommodation for the school on its permanent site was lodged on 26 May 2021 and instructions have issued to the project manager overseeing the delivery of the interim accommodation to proceed with the procurement arrangements under the Department's new modular buildings framework. That is progressing as we speak, in parallel with the planning application process and hopefully both will move forward together. There was a delay in obtaining a necessary legal consent from an adjacent landowner in order to lodge the planning application and as a result, the Department is putting in place contingency arrangements for the school to be located in suitable interim accommodation at the Firhouse Community College site from August 2021 for a maximum of one academic year. The interim accommodation, which includes specialist classrooms, special educational needs, SEN, provision and ancillary accommodation, will be installed on the community college site for the beginning of the 2021-22 school year using the planning exemption secured in March 2021. Details of the accommodation were recently issued to the patrons of the schools concerned.

It is the Department's intention that the school will move into the interim accommodation on its permanent site as early as possible in the 2021-22 academic year and that the vacated interim accommodation on the community college site will remain on site and will be available for use by Firhouse Community College as provided for under the exemption.

I accept the point that the Deputy made with regard to departmental communication with Firhouse Community College at the very last minute and can understand the upset and disquiet this caused. However, based on the information laid out by Deputy Lahart, it has been a difficult situation. The planning application was delayed because legal consent from an adjoining landowner had to be secured and that took some time. The plan is as I have clearly outlined and I hope my reply is of assistance. It is important that the Department communicates clearly with the patron and the board of management and that they communicate immediately with staff, parents and all involved in the school. I hope my reply provides some assurance and if the Deputy has any further comments or questions, I will happily relay them to the Minister tomorrow morning on his behalf.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am very grateful for that empathetic response which grasps the hurt and upset that has been caused. I ask the Minister of State to relay to the Minister my belief that steps need to be taken quickly to begin communications between both schools. Both have been left in the lurch to some degree and the communications deficits have hurt them. If Firhouse ETSS is to be accommodated on site in Firhouse Community College for one academic year, it is important that channels of communication between management and between parents' associations are opened up as quickly as possible.

I welcome what the Minister of State said in his reply in terms of the arrangement being for a maximum of one year. I acknowledge the fact that the Department of Education's planning application for temporary accommodation in Ballycullen closed today. A number of objections and submissions were lodged so it remains to be seen whether South Dublin County Council approves the application. If it grants permission, then obviously the temporary accommodation at Firhouse Community College can be vacated by Firhouse ETSS sooner rather than later. I also welcome the fact that the Department honoured the commitment given to the patron body of the Gaelscoil that Firhouse ETSS would only be housed there for a year. Obviously, that did not benefit Firhouse ETSS but the Department said that arrangement would be for a maximum of one year and it stuck to that. In that context, there are lots of positives to be taken from the answer that the Minister of State has given today.

I am grateful to the Minister of State for his understanding of the fact that the manner in which the whole thing was communicated was unacceptable. It treated the management, staff, students, parents and all other ancillary staff of Firhouse Community College in quite a tawdry manner. It has caused deep hurt which will take some time to undo. There must be some payback in the future for Firhouse Community College for accommodating a neighbouring school.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy who makes an important point with regard to communication between the two schools. Every school is independent and has its own structure and this coming together, albeit temporary in nature, may cause some difficulties. It is important that there is proper communication between the two schools. I will raise this with the Minister directly tomorrow morning.

The Department is committed to delivering an interim accommodation solution for Firhouse ETSS for September 2021. Department officials continue to provide regular updates to the school's patron body, Educate Together and the patron body keeps the school community updated. The project to deliver the permanent school accommodation is to be delivered under the Department's design and build programme and is currently at the architectural planning stage. A pre-planning meeting with the local authority has taken place and the design work is ongoing. When planning permission has been secured it will be possible to provide a timeline for the progression of the project to tender and construction stage. Everything depends on securing planning permission. I note Deputy Lahart's comment that some objections were lodged but hopefully that will be resolved satisfactorily.

On the question of guaranteeing that the school will move off the site of Firhouse Community College by September 2022, a planning application for interim accommodation on the Firhouse ETSS permanent site was lodged and it is intended to relocate the school to its permanent site in advance of the 2022-23 school year. The indicative date for the commencement of construction is early 2024 although this is dependent on planning permission being granted.

The Deputy has highlighted the fact that there is a growing population in Firhouse and this school, with the potential for the enrolment of 1,000 pupils, must be given priority.