Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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376. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a schedule of the sites that were considered in advance of the decision to proceed with the use of the Magee Barracks site in Kildare town in respect of schools; and if she and or her officials conducted a survey regarding the general and geographical suitability of the site. [3142/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The information sought by the Deputy on the schedule of the sites considered in advance of the decision to acquire the site at Magee Barracks is contained in the attached document. As it was not possible to obtain a site at the current location of the Curragh Post-Primary school, my Department’s site identification process was informed by the demographic data on post-primary requirements in the school planning areas of the Curragh, Kildare Town and Newbridge. This data showed that the greater demand for post-primary school places, which could not be met from existing school capacity, was projected to occur in the school planning area incorporating Kildare Town. Therefore, the sited identification process undertaken by my Department focused on possible suitable sites that may be available in Kildare town.

As is the standard practice where my Department identifies potential sites to meet a school requirement, a technical assessment of the site is undertaken to examine its suitability. My Department also engages with the relevant local authority to better inform the suitability of a site. This was the case in respect of the site at the former Magee Barracks.

Schedule of sites considered for the location of the replacement school for the Curragh Post-Primary and to meet post-primary requirements in the Curragh, Kildare Town and Newbridge school planning areas.