Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will meet a delegation from the three secondary schools in Ennistymon regarding amalgamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1248/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department previously acquired significant lands in the Ennistymon area. However, in order to have a site suitable for the development of a building for the new amalgamated school, additional land is required. The Congregation that owns existing school properties in Ennistymon has offered to transfer the properties concerned to the State as part of its offer made in response to the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the Ryan Report). The Government has agreed to accept this and a number of other properties offered by the Congregation. The land in question, together with the lands already in the ownership of the Department, will be sufficient to meet the overall site requirements of the new school.

The Department through the Chief State Solicitor's Office is currently working with the Solicitors acting on behalf of the Congregation concerned on the legal procedures and mechanisms required to facilitate the transfer of this additional land. When the transfer of the property has been completed, my Department will be in a position to further consider how this project could be progressed within the context of the available funding. Such consideration will involve liaison by my Department with the schools concerned. In the circumstances, a meeting with the schools concerned would be considered premature at this time.