As the Deputy is aware, my Department recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next 4 years (2019 to 2022), including:
- a new 8-classroom primary school to be established in 2019 to serve the Leixlip school planning area,
- a new 8-classroom primary school to be established in 2019 to serve the Maynooth school planning area, and
- a new 8-classrooms primary school to be established in 2021 to serve the Naas school planning area.
An initial phased start-up is envisaged for the new schools, which typically involves the use of interim accommodation. However, this is the first time the requirement for new schools is set out over a 4-year horizon and this will provide a better lead-in period for the planning and delivery of permanent accommodation solutions.
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, including appropriately zoned sites, 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 and will be confirmed at a later date.
The Department’s Design and Build Programme will be the main delivery mechanism for providing permanent accommodation for the 42 new schools.
The schools will open in September 2019 in the case of those to serve the Leixlip and Maynooth school planning areas and in September 2021 in the case of that to serve the Naas school planning area.
