Thomas Byrne
Question:385. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the need for a secondary school in Duleek, County Meath. [36865/18]
View answerFriday, 7 September 2018
Questions (385)
Written answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 600 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2019 to serve the Drogheda school planning area (in which Duleek is located) and Laytown school planning area as a regional solution. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
Following on from the announcement, the locations for all of the schools will be determined as part of the site acquisition process.
In line with the policy on the use of state assets (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circulars 11/15 and 17/16), my Department will be seeking to maximise the use of sites already in my ownership and of available properties in the ownership of other State bodies, where these are considered suitable.
In addition, as part of my Department's ongoing engagement with Local Authorities in respect of statutory planning processes and under the MoU on school site acquisitions, my Department will be examining all potential suitable site options to serve the relevant areas.
Taking into account all of the above, decisions will then be made as part of the site acquisition process in relation to appropriate sites for all the schools announced, including the school referred to by the Deputy.