My Department has acknowledged the need for a replacement building to meet the future needs of the school referred to by the Deputy. It has also been established that the present site is unsuitable for further development. Therefore, prior to any progress being made on a building project for the school, a suitable site must be identified.
The board of management had previously indicated to my Department that it would be making proposals regarding an alternative site for the school. However, these proposals did not materialise. The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in site acquisitions generally, will be asked to explore the possibility of acquiring an alternative site for the school.