Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017
262. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin, as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4638/17]
View answerIn April 2016 applications were invited for the patronage of nine new post-primary schools to be established, six in 2017 and a further three in 2018. The new secondary school for Malahide and Portmarnock opening in 2017 was included in this process.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the patronage process has been completed and as I announced on 3rd November 2016 the Patron of this new post-primary is Educate Together. The assessment report and the recommendations of the New Schools Establishment Group are available on my Department's website.
The building project for the new post-primary school to serve the Malahide and Portmarnock school planning areas is included in my Departments current Six Year Construction Programme, announced last November. A suitable site to accommodate this school has been identified and its acquisition is currently being pursued. However, due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time.
The school will open as scheduled in September 2017 in suitable interim accommodation pending delivery of the school's permanent building.
