James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. However, as whoever wrote it speaks about Howth and Donaghmede and places miles away from the area I am addressing, I will say no more about it. The bottom line is that additional accommodation has been approved for of one portacabin in Skerries when three are badly needed. That is what the school applied for. I am glad to hear that a more permanent solution will be forthcoming.

In regard to St. Joseph's secondary school, we have been pursuing the site at Rush for some time. All that is required is for the Department to instruct Fingal County Council to purchase the site. It happily does this on a regular basis for the Department on the basis of shared facilities after school hours. It needs to be done. The CPO to open up the road and the lands is to be completed in December. However, we are facing a delay because there was a misunderstanding between CEIST, EDUCENA and the Department about who was going to purchase the land. CEIST and EDUCENA made it very clear they were not in a position to do it; therefore, it falls to the Department.

With regard to Lusk community college, it is very welcome that we will have a secondary school, the second half of which is being built, but it is very clear to all concerned that it will not be able to accommodate the increased demand for place from pupils in both Skerries and Rush. It just will not wash. I am told by Councillor O'Leary who is in the Visitors Gallery and many constituents that all of the local crèches are full and that the problem will just keep building.

We need a serious signal from the Department that it is going to take action in purchasing a site for St. Joseph's secondary school which has been identified for well over a couple of years. The school is just waiting for the order from the Department to enable the local council to act. I appeal to the Minister as I know that parents in both schools are extremely upset and very angry.While the next academic year, 2019-20, may seem a long way away, they have applied for places and have been declined. What the Minister's Department - the Department more than the Minister - will face if it does not act is a slew of section 29 appeals which it will not be able to handle. As we discuss this matter, these children have no school places for next year.