New school building for St. Joseph's Secondary School

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new school building project for a school (details supplied); if the acquisition of a new site for the school has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) St. Joseph's Secondary School, Rush, Co Dublin

REPLY

As the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme.

Officials in my Department have contacted officials in Fingal County Council for assistance under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site.  Negotiations with relevant landowners in respect of the potential acquisition of the zoned post primary school site at that location is currently underway.

Officials in both my Department and the Council are working to progress matters as quickly as possible, in cognisance of the school’s current accommodation constraints .

It is difficult to indicate a timeline for the completion of the acquisition of a site for the school in question as it is dependent on the outcome of current negotiations and also on the complexity of the conveyancing process.

Due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions, it is not possible to comment further at this stage.