Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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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.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the Deputy's ongoing commitment to this issue in his constituency. It is an issue on which Deputy Aindrias Moynihan has also engaged with me. I thank Deputy Creed for raising the matter, as it allows me to provide an update to the House on the current position on the provision of interim accommodation for Le Chéile Secondary School in Ballincollig, County Cork.

In September 2021, the school opened in contingency interim accommodation in the former Cork Film Centre in Ballincollig. The school will operate in interim accommodation pending delivery of its permanent school project. As the Deputy outlined, the Department of Education had sought planning permission from Cork City Council for the planned interim accommodation for the school on the grounds of Ballincollig GAA Club. That planning application has been refused by Cork City Council.

At the moment, my Department is exploring what other options may be available, but it is proving difficult. Having done this previously, my Department had identified the Ballincollig GAA site as the best option. My Department will be liaising urgently with the local authority on alternative options. My Department will endeavour to make the appropriate and necessary interim accommodation arrangements in the shortest timeframe possible and will keep the school and its patron informed as viable options are examined and arrangements for September 2022 are made.

My Department has been in contact with the school regarding its first year enrolment for 2022. The school's admissions policy, as published on its website, confirms that 72 places are available. My Department understands that the school made offers to applicants on 11 November and that the closing date for acceptance of these offers is 7 December.

My Department will continue to work with the school and its patron in exploring the accommodation options for mainstream and special education needs pupils for the 2022-23 school year. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council on the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for the school in question. A number of permanent site options were identified. Each of these was investigated by the Department in conjunction with officials from Cork City Council. Unfortunately, in the case of all options identified, either the land could not be readily acquired from the landowner or the site was ultimately considered unfeasible for development. There has been consistent engagement and liaising with the local authority on identifying an appropriate and suitable site, and this will remain ongoing.

A potential suitable site has been identified in conjunction with the city council and discussions are ongoing in terms of exploring all options available to the Department to obtain possession of it. The Department is unable to provide any further information at this stage due to commercial sensitivities related to acquisition of the permanent site, but this is a priority for the Department.

I acknowledge the need within the area. We have taken a proactive approach. We have engaged from a pre-planning point of view and in respect of a variety of other sites that had potential, each of which was evaluated in conjunction with the local authority. I acknowledge the liaising with the local authority, which has been most helpful. As we proceed, we needing that liaising to continue. I assure the Deputy that we will do everything possible to prioritise the acquisition of a site and move matters forward in a timely and appropriate manner so as to meet the needs of the school and the area.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her response. I will ask her to do one further thing. When she returns to the Department after the debate, will she specifically ask her private secretary to give her an updated progress report on this matter in two weeks' time? Time is of the essence. We have ten months before enrolment commences next September. That is worrying for the vast cohort of students, but it is particularly worrying for those students in ASD units who have no other place to go in Ballincollig. They have been educated in these ASD units in their local community. It is cruel beyond belief that we would be unable to solve their particular problem within this bigger problem. If there is any specific commitment that I would like the Minister to give, it is that the ASD unit at least will be open in September 2022.

The Minister referred to the issue of the permanent site. I accept that a permanent site is the ultimate ambition for all of us. However, I find it difficult to believe that something that has eluded us to this date can be concluded and a temporary structure put on it by next September. I ask the Minister, in convening all stakeholders, that she consider advertising locally for a temporary site. It is clear that the GAA site is dead in the water now. The school has advanced the idea that, on its existing site, which is courtesy of the city council, there may be some scope to resolve the September 2022 situation, if not beyond that, including for the ASD unit. That idea should be explored as a matter of urgency. However, it is likely that there will be a requirement for a new site on a temporary basis and every effort must be made to find that while continuing the efforts to find a permanent solution, which has eluded us to date notwithstanding the best efforts of everybody. I understand the commercial sensitivities involved, but I would like the Minister to ask for progress reports on this issue within two weeks. Time is of the essence.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This is being given a high priority by my Department. I appreciate the Deputy's ongoing interest in this issue, which he has raised with me a number of times, as has Deputy Aindrias Moynihan. It is a matter of high priority within Deputy Creed's constituency. He can see from the level of engagement that the Department has had with the local authority on interim sites for additional accommodation and permanent site availability that we have at every opportunity taken the broadest look at available sites and analysed each. The Deputy will be appreciative of the body of work that goes into analysing a variety of sites and their potential. We have done that in conjunction with the local authority, which has been most helpful. Where we thought we had an option for interim accommodation, we even engaged on pre-planning. The Deputy referenced the engagement on and suitability of the site. From many years of service on a local authority, I am aware, as is the Deputy, that pre-planning serves as a positive opportunity for engagement and for ironing out difficulties, which then gives the freedom to proceed to planning. It was not successful in this instance, but that does not mean that we will not continue to go forward-----

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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It brings into question the level of pre-planning engagement, given the comprehensive rejection.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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If I could conclude. The Deputy is aware that pre-planning is a significant and important element of the planning process.

If we had not engaged in pre-planning, the Deputy would be quite critical. It points to the fact that the Department has utilised every opportunity available to it to ensure that interim and permanent sites would be made available for this school. I assure him that we will continue to give this every priority, both for the benefit of the student community and the wider community.