Mary Harney
Question:215 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education, in view of the recent vandalism which took place at Ballyowen Meadows special school, if she will make available alternative premises for this school.
Written Answers. - Ballyowen Meadows (Dublin) Special School.
As I indicated to the House on 18 May last, I am aware of the difficulties faced by the pupils and staff of Ballyowne Meadows special school and of the need to reach an early solution, particularly in view of the special needs of the pupils concerned.
In this connection, my Department is fully committed to assisting the patron of the school, the Eastern Health Board, in meeting its responsibility to secure suitable alternative accommodation at the earliest possible date.
As part of this process, my Department has assisted the health board by identifying a range of possible alternative locations for the school. These efforts have focused on a number of existing schools on the west side of Dublin with surplus accommodation. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, all of these options have been found unacceptable by the school authorities or by the health board.
Nonetheless, regular contact is being maintained between my Department and the health board and a number of other possibilities for permanent alternative accommodation are being actively considered. In the interim, I understand that the health board is arranging to have the existing building repaired so that the pupils can return to school for the remainder of the current school year.