Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh, who is unavoidably absent. As the Senator is aware, a project to provide a new school building for Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile is included in the Department of Education and Skills' capital programme. The Gaelscoil is currently operating in temporary accommodation, as the Senator said.

The project to provide the new building for the Gaelscoil required the acquisition of a site for the school. In order to secure a suitable site, the Department of Education and Skills worked closely with Cork County Council under the memorandum of understanding for the acquisition of school sites and a number of site options were identified by the council. These were all thoroughly appraised for suitability by both officials from the Department of Education and Skills and from Cork County Council. The Senator will appreciate the importance of a thorough appraisal of site options at this point in order to ensure the achievement of value for money and to minimise the potential of any issues arising during the planning and development stages.

The outcome of this technical appraisal exercise was that council officials, acting on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, entered into negotiations with the landowners of the site on which the Gaelscoil is currently located in temporary accommodation as it was deemed to be the most suitable option. Agreement in principle was reached for the proposed acquisition of the site by the Department of Education and Skills and the acquisition process has since advanced into the legal conveyancing stage. The conveyancing process remains under way as legal due diligence must be undertaken in respect of any such proposed transaction. The Senator will appreciate that, in such a process, the Department of Education and Skills is dependent on the engagement of third parties and, furthermore, the process can be subject to certain legal complexities. Therefore, timeframes for completion are outside the direct control of the Department of Education and Skills. Nevertheless, the conveyancing stage is progressing and officials from the Department of Education and Skills are working to bring this matter to a conclusion at the earliest possible date.

I can assure the Senator the school authorities are being kept appraised of progress with respect to the advancement of the site acquisition and building project for the school.