Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, 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.

The Patron of the new Malahide/Portmarnock post-primary school (Educate Together) decided for operational reasons that it was in the best interests of the school to postpone its opening to September 2018.  My Department will continue to work in close co-operation with the patron body to facilitate the opening of the school in suitable interim accommodation in September 2018.

My Department is continuing to liaise with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable Permanent site for this school.  As with other site acquisitions in the area, due to the scarcity of suitable sites, this process has proven to be quite challenging and in that context has taken some time to date. Potential site options have been identified. However, due to the commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to provide further details at this time.