Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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430. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what engagement has taken place with the community of a school (details supplied) especially with regard to facilitating its move to a new building, including road safety measures. [7783/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As part of its forward planning, my Department identified the need for a new special school to be established in the Lucan area for the 2025/26 school year. This will be a very important local facility for families and children in the Lucan area who require a special school place.

My Department considers that this need can be best met through the Lucan East ETNS school moving to the new school building that is nearing completion in Kishoge and for the existing school building at Lucan East to be re-purposed to facilitate the establishment of the new special school.

The decision to repurpose the Lucan East ETNS school to facilitate the establishment of the new special school to provide much needed special school provision in the Lucan area was confirmed by the former Minister in a press release issued on 10th December and this position was notified to the patron and school at that time.

My Department is working closely with the patron and school authority on the practical arrangements to ensure the schools smooth transition to relocate to the nearby new school building located at Thomas Omer Way, Kishoge, Lucan.

An information night in relation to the school’s relocation took place in December with parents, the school principal and Educate Together in attendance. My Department continues to engage with the school principal and patron on an ongoing basis to ensure transitionary arrangements are in place for the schools relocation.

As part of assisting the school during the transitionary period my Department are also exploring the possibility of providing bus transport from the old school site to the new school site.

The school authority raised concerns with the Department in relation to road safety measures at the new school building located at Thomas Omer Way, Kishoge, Lucan. One of the issues raised relates to a traffic warden at the school site. This matter comes within the remit of South Dublin County Council (SDCC), however, my Department has supported the schools application to SDCC for a traffic warden at the new location.

My Department has advised that there is ongoing engagement with SDCC in relation to road safety measures at the new school. My Department have engaged with the road safety officer in SDCC, outlining the Department’s support for such an application and provided information to assist the decision-making process.? SDCC have advised that an assessment of the location of the new school was carried with a view to establishing if there is need for a traffic warden. My Department has been informed by SDCC that this assessment has been carried out and my Department continues to engage with SDCC in relation to road safety measures at the new school.

Lucan East ETNS will move from their current location to the new school building that is nearing completion in Kishogue over Easter 2025, with students returning to the new school following the Easter midterm break and my Department will continue to work closely with the principal and the school authority in relation to the transition arrangements for the school’s relocation.