David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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205. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Topical Issue debate No. 2 of 25 September 2024, the technical advice and reports that her Department has received which has led to the decision that a field in the ownership of her Department cannot be used as a playing field; if she will reconsider her decision and make the property available to the adjacent schools to be used as a playing field by the children attending the schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38878/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to reassure the Deputy that it has always been the intention that the area in question will be available for use by all three schools.

Given the nature of the site, a flooding specialist was procured as part of the planning process for this campus project and a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA), Maintenance Plan and Flood Response Plan were provided.

The area will be subject to ponding of water and potential flooding at times given that the these lands are designed to retain overflow flood waters during periods of heavy rainfall.

The area is not currently accessible and a planning application will be submitted to the local authority shortly by the contractor to provide the access road and entrance to this area. Once this work is complete, the area will be made available for use by the schools.

It is the intention that the area will be managed by the post-primary school in terms of shared access for all three schools on the campus as a green area.