Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Ward for raising this matter. I am happy to clarify the position with regard to the development of permanent accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean.

As a result of the nationwide demographic exercise carried out by the Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools in the State, the requirement for a new eight-classroom primary school to service the Blackrock-Booterstown area was announced by the Government. Gaelscoil Laighean was established, as the Senator correctly pointed out, in 2019 under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta. Gaelscoil Laighean is currently located in interim accommodation at Kill Lane, Deansgrange, County Dublin, that can facilitate two mainstream classrooms and ancillary space.

It must be noted that the school authorities were informed before occupying Kill Lane that it would only be for a two-year period. They were told that at the outset. They were aware that a move to an alternative interim accommodation would be required for the 2021 academic year to cater for the school's growing enrolments. As a result, I understand that officials in the Department have put in place the necessary arrangements to relocate Gaelscoil Laighean to the premises at Eblana Avenue in Dún Laoghaire. I heard the Senator's comments on that matter and I will return to them later. This premises is under the ownership of the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board. This alternative interim accommodation will suitably accommodate the school's growing enrolments for the academic years 2021 and 2022. The Department issued verbal and written communications, on Wednesday 28 April, informing the patron of these arrangements. My officials understand that the school was informed of this communication on the very same day.

The Department remains committed to providing a permanent accommodation solution for Gaelscoil Laighean and a project to deliver this accommodation has been included in the Department's six-year capital programme. The Senator will be aware that the acquisition of a site is required to facilitate the delivery of this project. He will also appreciate that the acquisition of school sites in highly developed urban areas where land is extremely scarce presents particular challenges for the Department. This has, unsurprisingly, proven to be the case in the Blackrock-Booterstown school planning area. While a number of potential site options were identified - and I note the Senator's comments on those - with the assistance of officials in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, to date all but two sites have proven unsuitable or unavailable for acquisition. Officials in the Department are currently in discussions with county council officials on these two potential school site options for two primary schools in the local authority area, one of which is Gaelscoil Laighean. Good progress has been made to determine the optimum configuration of school sites within Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in recent weeks.

Once a site for the school has been secured, the project to deliver the school's permanent accommodation can be progressed into the architectural planning process without delay. I assure the Senator that I am very conscious of the difficulties contended with by the school authorities and the families. In this regard, the acquisition will continue to be treated as a priority for the Department and I will bring it to the attention of the Minister, as the Senator has requested, and to the planning and building unit of the Department. I understand that officials are working to advance this project as expeditiously as possible.

The Senator referred to Newtownpark Avenue.My understanding is that the site located at that particular place will accommodate the newly established Booterstown, Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire Educate Together secondary school. No assurance has been given to parents around locating Gaelscoil Laighean at that venue.