Written answers

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

Department of Education and Skills

Schools Site Acquisitions

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 14 May 2019, if it is planned that the proposed post-primary school for Citywest will be built on the same site (details supplied); if so, the precise location; if the ownership of the site by the ETB will influence or not the patronage of the proposed new school; if he envisages a permanent building in terms of accommodating the proposed post-primary school on the site; if so, when commencement of such a project will take place; the length of time before the school will open; if a temporary building is envisaged, when and for the length of time; and the facilities such a temporary accommodation would be in place for. [27133/19]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Government announced plans in April 2018 for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022) including a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in September 2020 to serve the Tallaght & Newcastle_Rathcoole school planning areas (Citywest/Saggart) as a regional solution.

The ETB-owned site at Fortunestown Lane, on which two existing primary schools are currently temporarily located is the preferred site.

A patronage process for the new post-primary school in Citywest/Saggart, will be run later this year, significantly ahead of its due opening. This patronage process will be open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences for each patron, from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.

The new Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to all parents and guardians which will allow them to make an informed choice in expressing a preference for their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education.

The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG will submit a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on my Department's website.

Updates in relation to further patronage processes will be announced on the OPPS website () and my Department’s website ().

The project to deliver the new school building is currently at the architectural planning stage. As this project will be subject to the statutory planning process and standard procurement procedures it is not possible at this point to indicate a timeframe for its delivery. If necessary, the school will open in September 2020 in suitable interim accommodation.

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