Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ní raibh an Seanadóir ró-mhall. Bhí sé ceart go leor. I thank him for raising this matter and giving me an opportunity to update the House on the current position regarding the provision of a permanent school building for Ballinteer Educate Together national school, which is a co-educational school under the patronage of Educate Together.

The brief for the project we are discussing is the provision of a new 16-classroom school and a two-classroom special needs unit, together with all ancillary accommodation, on the St. Tiernan's Community School site at Parkvale, Balally, Dublin 16. This project, which is included in the six-year capital programme of the Department of Education and Skills to proceed to tender and construction in 2018, was assigned to the Department's rapid design and build delivery programme in March 2018. Architectural planning commenced immediately. An application for planning permission was lodged with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in September 2018 following a pre-planning meeting with the council.

A notification of decision to refuse permission was received by the Department's consultants on 2 November 2018. A copy of this notification was received by officials in the Department yesterday afternoon. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council outlined two reasons for its decision to refuse planning. First, the proposed exit-only link onto Wyckham Way, which is a heavily trafficked distributor road, would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users and the proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area. Second, the proposal to utilise the existing access to St. Tiernan's Community School through Parkvale to serve an additional 16-classroom school is not acceptable on the grounds of the impact on the residential amenity of existing Parkvale residents. The proposed development would be seriously injurious to the residential amenity of Parkvale and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The remarks I have made in reply to the Senator are obviously in the public arena. They arise from the decision that has been made by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Officials from the Department of Education and Skills will now review this decision. I appreciate the disappointment of those who have been campaigning on this issue for eight years. I assure the Senator that having reviewed this disappointing decision, the Department will consult its advisers and technical team to decide how best to make progress with this project. The possibility of an appeal to An Bord Pleanála will be considered in that context.