Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on the proposal to combine three second level schools in Skibbereen into a community school to be built on a green field site; and the position in this regard. [19481/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Agreement has been reached between the trustees of the three existing post-primary schools in Skibbereen to amalgamate into a single school. The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works was requested to source a site for the development of a single school. A number of sites were identified and examined. Those considered potentially suitable for the provision of a school building for the amalgamation were then discussed with Cork County Council. Following that exercise and to date, no site has been identified that is suitable from the perspectives of my Department, the Office of Public Works and Cork County Council.

Because of the difficulty in sourcing a green field site the Department decided to investigate the possibility of utilising the Rossa College site to facilitate the proposed building project. To this end a feasibility study of the site and building was commissioned in order to determine how best to provide for the long-term accommodation needs of the proposed school. However, because of the opposition from the Trustees of the proposed new Community School to the Rossa College site, this option is no longer being pursued. The Department will continue to work to identify a suitable site for this project and will keep the Trustees informed of progress in this regard.