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

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. As he knows, it is something of which I am acutely aware. I have had numerous conversations with families whose children want to attend Gaelscoil Laighean. As we know, we want a permanent building to be provided as soon as possible on the Mount Anville site. I understand the Department lodged a planning application with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on Tuesday, 21 June, to provide interim accommodation on the Mount Anville site.

I understand that, as a contingency arrangement, the Department has, as the Senator said, submitted a section 5 application to the council to determine whether a proposal to provide interim accommodation on the grounds of Mount Merrion community centre requires planning permission or is considered exempted development. I understand it will lodge that application this week. The interim accommodation, which can be installed on either site once permission is secured, has been procured and is available to the Department for installation. I am not aware of the reason the application is only being submitted this week. It would have been preferable for it to have been done before now.

I will bring the Senator's Commencement matter to the attention of the planning and building unit and the Minister to make sure that we can expedite the building of a permanent building as soon as possible. I understand that heads of terms have been agreed and the Department is waiting on draft contracts. It is expected that conveyancing will conclude shortly.

That still leaves a gap, as the Senator said, between where we are now and when the children will attend school. I note what he said about the fact that the interim accommodation in Kill of the Grange would not have the capacity to take in any more children or expand. He mentioned after-school or afternoon classes and commuting.

I understand 39 pupils are enrolled and another 24 are expected to begin in the new the school year. I believe there are two contingency plans. One involves the Mount Merrion community centre and the second concerns the parish hall, as the Senator said. The Department has worked with An Foras Pátrúnachta to identify contingency arrangements.

The difficulty is that we know the permanent school building will not be built by September and, therefore, we need to find an arrangement that is satisfactory for the families, whether that involves the use of the parish hall in Blackrock or the Mount Merrion centre, which is near where I live. Fire and disability access certificates will be required on whichever site is available first. I understand applications are being prepared.

The views of parents are critical in ensuring that we have adequate facilities for children and that the commute and after-school activities will not be unduly onerous while the school community awaits the building of permanent accommodation. I hope the Department, which is listening to this contribution, will be able to provide some clarity on that in early course.