Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Richmond for raising this very important issue as it allows me the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the current position with regard to the provision of a permanent school building for Ballinteer Educate Together national school. This school is a co-educational school under the patronage of Educate Together. The brief for the permanent project is to provide a new, 16-classroom school in addition to a two-classroom special educational needs unit together with all ancillary accommodation on the St. Tiernan’s community school site located at Parkvale, Balally, Dublin 16. This project was assigned to the Department's design and build delivery programme in March 2018. This delivery programme uses a professional external project manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning and construction.Architectural planning commenced immediately and an application for planning permission was lodged with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in September 2018 following pre-planning meetings with the council. A notification of the decision to refuse permission was received on 2 November 2018. The Department appealed this decision to An Bord Pleanála on 27 November 2018. On 7 June 2019, An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the development subject to a number of conditions. Officials from the Department are reviewing these conditions and consulting their advisers and their technical team to comply fully with the planning permission. The next step in the progression of this school building project is to proceed to the tender and construction stages.