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

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. To put this issue in context, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, with data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. Due to an increase in demand for primary school places in the Diswellstown area, which the Senator mentioned, enrolments for St. Patrick’s National School have increased by 13% in the past five years to the current enrolment of 835. The current staffing levels comprise one principal, 31 mainstream teachers and one developing post. The land and building out of which the school is currently operating will not allow for any further expansion, as the Senator has correctly pointed out. The land adjoining the current school site is deemed suitable to meet the Department’s requirements to allow the school to expand to a full four-stream school. Acquiring the site of approximately 1 acre to the north of the existing school site would provide accommodation for a displaced car park, additional car parking, displaced ball courts and pedestrian and cyclist permeability to Diswellstown Road.

As the Senator may be aware, officials in the Department are working closely with officials from Fingal County Council under the memorandum of understanding on the acquisition of the plot of land adjacent to St Patrick's National School. This site acquisition process has been progressed in respect of the requirement in question and in line with standard acquisition protocols. Negotiations, which are ongoing between officials in my Department and the owner of the additional 1 acre plot adjoining the current school site, are not straightforward. An offer for the land has been made by Fingal County Council on behalf of the Department. However, the landowner has introduced a number of preconditions unrelated to the sale of this land, which I am not at liberty to discuss. Discussions on these preconditions between the Department and the vendor are at a sensitive stage. I reassure the Senator that everything possible is being done by Department officials because they appreciate the urgent necessity to acquire these lands, for the reasons the Senator has so eloquently outlined. They are working very closely with officials in Fingal County Council to expedite the acquisition as efficiently as possible. I understand the urgency of this matter.

The Senator also mentioned the pyrite issue. That situation is being monitored and there is funding available under the emergency works scheme if needed.

It is important to set out the criteria the Department looks at when acquiring a site and evaluating a site's suitability. First, it looks at the zoning. As the Senator has said, this site is in a community infrastructure zone so it is suitable from that perspective. It also looks at existing services, site orientation, topography, transport and access, which are all very important criteria. As I said, this site is of interest to the Department and as the Senator has outlined, it is already being used as a play area for the school. The adjoining land is most suitable for an expansion of the current school accommodation. The Department is in negotiations with the landowner but agreement has not yet been reached in order to obtain the best value for money for the Exchequer.