Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is great to see Senator Pauline O’Reilly in the Deputy Leader’s chair. I hope it is the first time of many.

I raise the issue of multi-denominational, co-educational secondary schools, particularly in Dublin Central. When I was growing up, there was no multi-denominational, co-educational secondary school there, and it is more than ten years since I supported a campaign for such a school. This morning, I met people from Clonturk Community College, a secondary co-educational, multi-denominational school based in Whitehall. It opened its doors in 2016 and is going from strength to strength.

I thank the Minister for Education for this morning meeting the principal and the board of management, and I thank also the City of Dublin Education and Training Board. The school is a partnership between the Department of Education, the education and training board, Educate Together and the local community. It has been a great success and I am delighted the Minister was today able to confirm it is on the major capital programme of the Department. There is much ambition for the school and the Department is committed to the school having proper, purpose-built accommodation, with capacity for up to 1,000 students and up to four special educational needs, SEN, classes. I put on record my support and congratulations to everybody who was involved in the campaign from an early stage and everyone who continues to support the school. It is a wonderful, open, diverse and inclusive community and it is going from strength to strength.