Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. It gives me an opportunity to set out for the Seanad the position on the temporary site for Killester-Raheny-Clontarf Educate Together school. As the Senator will be aware, the Government announced plans in April 2018 for the establishment of 42 new schools between 2019 and 2022, including a new eight-classroom primary school, to be established in the Killester-Raheny-Clontarf school planning area and which will open in September 2019 in suitable interim accommodation, pending delivery of the permanent school.

The Department appointed a project manager in July 2018 to assist with the work of prioritising the procurement of interim accommodation for the school, which will open in 2019. Numerous locations within the school planning area were considered in regard to the interim accommodation for the school but could not be secured due to the lack of suitability or availability, or prohibitive zoning issues. Therefore, in order to ensure the school could open in September 2019, as announced, it was necessary to look for interim accommodation in adjoining school planning areas.

On 15 March 2019, a planning application was submitted to Fingal County Council for a location at Suttonians Rugby Football Club, John McDowell Memorial Grounds, Station Road, Sutton, D13 AH97. The notification of the decision to grant planning permission was issued by the local authority on 2 May 2019. The new primary school will open in September 2019 in suitable interim accommodation pending delivery of its permanent building.

With regard to the school's permanent location, potential site options within the school planning area have been identified and are currently being assessed. I thank the Senator for giving this opportunity to outline to the Seanad the position with regard to the interim accommodation for the new Killester-Raheny-Clontarf Educate Together primary school to be established in September 2019.