There was mixed news from the Minister for Education recently about local schools for Luttrellstown and Tyrellstown. While preparations for the provision of two long-promised primary school buildings in Tyrellstown are progressing, plans for a permanent building for Luttrelstown Community College appear to have stalled.

The site for Tyrellstown Educate Together and Mulhuddart National School has been recently acquired by the Department of Education, while a project manager has been appointed to oversee the delivery of the project. A master plan is being developed for this site and the Minister expects planning applications to be lodged in the coming months.

There is, however, much less clarity in respect of the permanent site for Luttrelstown Community College. While negotiations in relation to the acquisition of the site have concluded, it has still not been acquired

The Minister could only say that "The future building project for the school will be considered in the context of the existing and competing demands on the schools building capital
programme."

I would call on the Minister for Education and the Minister for Finance to urgently clarify the situation and ensure that sufficient funds are made available under the government's newly announced 2010-2016 capital spending plan so that LCC can open on its permanent site for the 2011 school year. The temporary site in Blanchardstown is not only quite a distance from its intended catchment area, it is unsuitable as anything more than a short-term location for a secondary school.

Please find below my parliamentary questions, and the Minister's reply, in relation to these school projects.

Uimhir:620

Ceist Pharlaiminte


Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the current situation
in respect of the site for the proposed VEC Luttrellstown Community College at
Kellystown/Porterstown, Dublin 15; if this site has been acquired and if there
is now permission to proceed with the drawing up of architectural plans,
tendering and commissioning the building; the arrangements, if any, that remain
to be completed in respect of the acquisition of the site and the building of
the school; the amount that is being, or has been paid, to acquire the site;
the funding that has been allocated in the capital programme for the
construction of the school for 2010 and 2011; and if she will make a statement
on the matter.
- Joan Burton.



* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 6th July, 2010.
Reference Number: 29221/10

Freagra


Tánaiste Mary Coughlan

Fingal County Council have advised that the negotiations in relation to the
acquisition of a site for the school in question have concluded. My Department,
as sought by the local authority, has arranged to provide funding to the
Council to enable the transaction to be completed which is being acquired under
the Fingal Model Agreement. Due to the commercial sensitivities relating to
site acquisitions, I am not in a position to comment further on the matter at
this time. The future building project for the school will be considered in the
context of the existing and competing demands on the schools building capital
programme.

Uimhir:621

Ceist Pharlaiminte


Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the funding made
available for 2010 and for 2011 for the construction of schools in Tyrellstown,
Dublin 15; when the relevant school sites will be acquired; when these school
projects will come on stream; if a needs assessment for the location of a
secondary school in Tyrellstown has been conducted; his views on the potential
location of a Gaelscoil in Tyrellstown; and if she will make a statement on the
matter.
- Joan Burton.



* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 6th July, 2010.
Reference Number: 29222/10

Freagra


Tánaiste Mary Coughlan

The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of carrying out
detailed analysis of over 40 identified locations of highest population growth
in order to identify the school accommodation requirements up to and including
the school year 2014/2015. Given the increase in the birth rate in recent
years the initial focus of this analysis is on primary school accommodation
requirements and this will be followed by a more detailed analysis of
post-primary accommodation requirements. Overall school accommodation
requirements in the Tyrellstown and Mulhuddart areas, including any requirement
for a gaelscoil and additional post-primary accommodation, are being considered
as part of this process. However, the Deputy will be aware that a new
post-primary school with capacity to accommodate 1,000 pupils is currently
under construction in Phibblestown which should assist in easing any
accommodation pressure at post-primary in the Tyrellstown/ Mulhuddart area in
the short-term.

My Department has recently completed the purchase of a site in Tyrellstown
under the Fingal Model Agreement intended to accommodate two schools.
Officials from my Department have had preliminary discussions with the Local
Authority in relation to the planned primary schools. A project manager has
recently been appointed to oversee the delivery of the project. A master plan
for this site is currently being developed with a view to lodging planning
applications in the coming months.