Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 June 2021
431. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if there are or have ever been plans for a primary school on or adjacent to the site known as Abeline Lodge, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, County Dublin; and the details of any investigatory work, including exploratory documents, drawings or meetings undertaken by her Department in this regard. [29794/21]
View answer432. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if it was the intention of her Department to award land on or adjacent to the site known as Abeline Lodge, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, County Dublin to the winner of the 2018 primary school plebiscite; if that site was offered for this purpose; if that intention has since changed or such offer retracted; and the grounds upon which such decisions were made. [29795/21]
View answer433. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if lands on or adjacent to the site known as Abeline Lodge, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, County Dublin have been deemed unsuitable for the building of a primary school; and if so, if there are no current or future plans for a primary school to be built on the lands. [29796/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 431, 432 and 433 together.
As the Deputy is aware, in 2018 my Department announced plans to establish 42 new schools between 2019 and 2022. This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the current and future need for primary and post-primary school places across the country, including multiple school accommodation requirements in the general South Dublin City area.
In response to this, my Department purchased the site referred to by the Deputy to provide an option in terms of school provision. In this context, a number of potential uses were explored and it was ultimately decided that this site, which is located in the Dún Laoghaire School Planning Area, will best accommodate the new post primary school announced to serve the two school planning areas of Booterstown/Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire.
Design work is ongoing in relation to the proposed development of the post primary school on this site.
