Written answers
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Department of Education and Skills
Schools Building Projects
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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436. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26733/17]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Patron of the new Malahide/Portmarnock post-primary school (Educate Together) has decided for operational reasons that it is in the best interests of the school to postpone its opening to September 2018. My Department has been working in close co-operation with Educate Together to facilitate the opening of the school and will continue to do so with a view to its opening in suitable interim accommodation in September 2018.
Where a requirement for additional post-primary schools has been identified, details including proposed timelines related to the opening of the schools are made known by a Ministerial announcement. However, patrons may decide for different operational reasons in a particular year that it is in the best interests of a new post-primary school to defer its opening. In some cases there may be a timing issue, where many parents will have already committed to other second level schools in the area ahead of the announcement of the new school.
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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437. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Swords area of County Dublin as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26734/17]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Patron of the new Swords post-primary school, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) has decided for operational reasons that it is in the best interests of the school to defer its opening to September 2018.
The Patron has confirmed to the Department that Swords Community College will open in September 2018, with a high number of applications having already been received.
The acquisition of school sites in densely populated areas such as Dublin/Swords presents an ongoing challenge for my Department as the availability of suitable property is often extremely limited, due to the area of accommodation and ancillary facilities required. My Department will continue to work in close co-operation with Fingal County Council and the site acquisition process is underway in respect of the permanent accommodation for this school.
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