Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made on the development of the new second level school at Ballincollig, County Cork, which was announced earlier in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29406/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced the opening of 42 new schools over the next 4 years.  This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the current and future need for primary and post-primary school places across the country. The new post primary school to serve Ballincollig was part of that announcement.

In line with the policy on the use of state assets (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circulars 11/15 and 17/16), my Department will be seeking to maximize the use of sites already in my ownership and of available properties in the ownership of other State bodies, where these are considered suitable for the provision of accommodation for the newly announced schools.  In addition as part of my Department's ongoing engagement with Local Authorities in respect of statutory planning processes and under the MoU on school site acquisitions, my Department will be examining all potential suitable site options, including appropriately zoned sites, to serve the relevant area.  Engagement with Cork County Council in respect of the identification of a suitable site for this school is already underway.

Taking into account all of the above, a decision will then be made as part of the site acquisition process in relation to an appropriate site for the school and this will be confirmed at the earliest possible date.