Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to welcome the Minister back to the House to discuss a key issue not just for my area but also for south Dublin in general. It relates to the development of a permanent home for Stepaside Educate Together secondary school. As the Minister will be well aware, the school is currently co-located with Stepaside Educate Together national school in its new home in Belarmine in Stepaside. However, the school community - the teachers, parents, guardians, pupils and those living in the vicinity - are keen to get a clear idea when the school will move to its permanent home on the site identified by the Department.

Many things are at play in terms of acquisition, planning and tender. Mild concern is developing among the school community that the school is reaching absolute capacity in its temporary location with the national school and there is a serious need to make swift progress with the permanent development in the site identified. The school has a waiting list of about 70. When it is full, it will have more than 1,000 pupils in a co-educational facility under the auspices of Educate Together.

I know the school well. The Taoiseach visited it last autumn and he remarked how quickly this new school has ingratiated itself with the community and how it has engaged in so many activities. It is a wonderful part of south Dublin which I call my home. It is also a growing part of south Dublin where the population is rapidly exceeding the existing requirements in terms of national schools. We have seen a number of new national schools being opened. Two more are to come on stream, including Goatstown Educate Together national school, which will feed into this secondary school in due course. This morning I seek an update on how the school is proceeding.