Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue around the Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and the Minister, Deputy Foley.

As the Senator knows, this project requires the provision of a new site. The site acquisition process has been progressed in respect of the requirement in question and in line with the standard acquisition protocols. The Department of Education has engaged the services of a site acquisition consultant in order to short-list potential sites. Following an extensive site identification and assessment exercise to identify a permanent site location, a number of site options were identified and are being investigated in conjunction with officials from Clare County Council. A number of potential site options are currently under consideration, and that consideration includes the technical and economic appraisals of all potential site options.

The Senator will appreciate the commercial sensitives attached to site acquisitions such as this. I am not currently in a position to disclose further information but I will make the Minister and Minister of State aware of the Senator’s interest and sense of urgency on this issue.