Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that is being made with the building of a new school at a location (details supplied); the projected date for opening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26607/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Following an extensive site identification, assessment and negotiation process, agreement in principle, subject to contract, has been reached for the acquisition, by my Department, of a permanent school site at the location referred to by the Deputy. This site will accommodate a new 1,000 pupil school plus 4 classroom special education needs unit as a replacement and expansion of the existing Curragh Post Primary school and will cater for the increased demographic growth at post-primary level due to occur in the region over the coming years.

The development of the post primary school on this site will enhance the education facilities available to the Curragh Post Primary school and the existing primary schools in a new educational campus arrangement. The delivery of this school building project is a priority for my Department.

Due to commercial sensitivities it is not possible to provided further information at this time

In order to meet the more immediate needs for post primary school places in the Kildare area, the Department is working with Kildare Wicklow ETB, as patron of the school, to deliver modular accommodation on the former Magee Barracks site to facilitate the relocation and expansion of the school for the 2023/24 academic year.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider the building of a swimming pool on the site of an existing or new school in south Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26608/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that school sites are reserved for the purpose of primary and post primary school requirements. My Department does not have a role in making provision for public swimming pools.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the permanent school building project for a school (details supplied); when her Department plans to submit the planning application for the project to Meath County Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26612/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Agreement in principle has been reached to acquire a site for the school referred to by the Deputy. Contracts for sale for the site have been signed, conditional on the landowner providing required infrastructure upgrades to serve the site. My Department has been advised that these upgrades are programmed to be completed by the end of July 2022.

The project to provide the permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy is in early architectural planning which involves site surveys, school design stages and the preparation of statutory applications. As with all school building projects, pre-planning meetings are required with the Local Authority in advance of preparing a Planning Application to ensure the highest probability of a successful application in the shortest time possible. A pre-planning meeting was held with the Local Authority on 31st March 2022. A considerable amount of work is required following the pre-planning meeting to prepare a suitably detailed application.

The school is currently located in interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site and a final grant of planning permission for additional interim accommodation for the school on the site for the 2022/23 school year was received on 18th May 2022.