Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it allows me the opportunity to clarify the position in respect of St. Joseph’s secondary school, Rush, County Dublin. I acknowledge that my colleague, Senator James Reilly, has kept me up to speed on this issue. The school is currently located at Convent Lane, Rush and consists of a number of buildings, some permanent accommodation and others prefabricated accommodation. The site is limited for development due to its size and location in the centre of the village in a settled residential area and it was determined that a new site was required to facilitate provision of sufficient permanent accommodation for the school.

The school’s trustees recently confirmed to my Department that they are not in a position to provide a site to accommodate a new school building. Following on from this, officials of my Department have requested the assistance of officials in Fingal County Council in procuring a site for the school under the memorandum of understanding for the acquisition of school sites. Under the memorandum of understanding for the acquisition of school sites, local authorities assist my Department with the process of identifying and acquiring sites for the development of school accommodation. The first step in this process is the identification of suitable sites by the local authorities. The identified sites are then technically assessed on a joint basis by officials from the local authorities and my Department's professional and technical staff.

Senator Clifford-Lee will appreciate the importance of a thorough appraisal of site options at this point to ensure the achievement of value for money and to minimise the potential of any issues arising during the planning and development stages. The relevant local area plan provides for the location of a post-primary school site in the Kenure area of Rush. My Department understands that this site was reserved by Fingal County Council on foot of representations made on behalf of St. Joseph’s secondary school. Access issues have to date inhibited the potential development of this site but Fingal County Council is currently working to deliver a new roadway which would facilitate such development. Engagement between my officials and council officials in respect of the potential acquisition of this site is currently ongoing. It is difficult to indicate a timeline for the completion of the acquisition of a site for the school in question as it is dependent on the outcome of current negotiations and also on the complexity of the conveyancing process.Once a site has been acquired the project can progress to architectural planning.

I assure the Senator, however, that my Department is cognisant of the school's current accommodation constraints. The Department received an application for temporary accommodation from the school. Subsequently, it issued approval, in principle, to the board of management for the rental of two science laboratories - one being a technical graphics or design communication graphics room and one general classroom, as an interim measure, pending delivery of the permanent school building. The responsibility for the installation of this accommodation has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.

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