Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Department of Education and Skills is aware of Meath County Council's plans to develop a linear park in Ashbourne.As outlined by the Senator, the proposed park includes a portion of land alongside the Broadmeadow River which is in the Minister's ownership. As the Senator may be aware, the Department acquired two portions of land in Ashbourne to meet school accommodation requirements in the town. One of

these portions was acquired for the purpose of providing a campus solution with school accommodation for the De Lacy College, Gaelscoil na Mí and Ashbourne Educate Together national school. The second portion, adjacent to the new campus, was acquired to facilitate access to the permanent site and it also facilitates temporary accommodation for the post-primary school pending completion of the construction project.

The post-primary school De Lacy College opened in September 2014 in temporary accommodation. It is proposed to deliver a 1,000 pupil post-primary school for De Lacy College, to be delivered in two phases. Construction on the first phase, to accommodate 450 pupils, is currently under way and is expected to be completed towards the end of 2016. Gaelscoil na Mí opened in temporary accommodation at Donaghmore-Ashbourne GAA Club in September 2011. A new permanent 16-classroom building for the school is under construction and this accommodation is also expected to be delivered by the end of 2016. Ashbourne Educate Together national school opened in temporary accommodation in September 2012 and is currently accommodated on the grounds of Ashbourne and District Community Council. Construction is also under way on a new permanent 16-classroom building for this school and, as with Gaelscoil na Mí, assuming no issues arise, this building is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Ultimately, some of the lands currently in the Minister’s ownership adjacent to the new Ashbourne school campus will become surplus to the Department’s requirements. When they are no longer needed, the Department may consider disposing of these lands. Any such disposal would be conducted in accordance with the recent protocol for the intra-State transfer of State property assets, as circulated by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In the context of the Department’s close working relationship with Meath County Council in respect of school site acquisitions, the Department will consult with the local authority in the first instance regarding any such disposal. Officials in Meath County Council have recently requested the Department to consider the disposal of a portion of the land adjacent to the new campus for the purpose of the development of the linear park. A meeting is currently being arranged between officials from the Department and officials from the local authority with a view to discussing the matter.

I wish to thank the Senator again on behalf of the Minister for giving me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position regarding the lands in question in Ashbourne, County Meath.