Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
991. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education the status of the difficulties in facilitating a school (details supplied) on its current site for the coming academic year; if her attention has been drawn to the reservations of both schools regarding the contingency plan in use to move the school; if her Department has taken those concerns into consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40158/21]
View answer1053. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the reason planning permission for a permanent site for a school (details supplied) was not expedited in 2020 given her Department was aware the school was in an accommodation crisis. [40869/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 991 and 1053 together.
Following completion of the acquisition of the permanent site for the school referred to by the Deputies in May 2020, the building project for the school was assigned for delivery under my Department’s Design & Build Programme.
Notwithstanding disruption to building works as a result of Covid 19 restrictions, the plans were progressed for the planning application for the project and a pre-planning meeting was held with the local authority on 28th August 2020 and the developed design work has been continuing.
It was initially hoped that the planning permission for the school building project would be in place in sufficient time to provide a derogation for the provision of interim accommodation on the permanent site for the school year 2021/2022. However, in order that the procurement of interim accommodation could proceed as early as possible, it was decided to proceed with plans for a separate planning application for the provision of interim accommodation on the permanent site.
A planning application for interim accommodation for the school on its permanent site was subsequently lodged on the 26th May 2021 and instructions were issued to the Project Manager overseeing the delivery of the interim accommodation to proceed with the procurement arrangements under my Department’s new Modular Buildings Framework.
There was a delay involved in obtaining a necessary legal consent from an adjacent landowner in order to lodge the planning application for interim accommodation and as a result, my Department is putting in place contingency arrangements for the school to be located in suitable interim accommodation at the Firhouse Community College site from August 2021 for a maximum of one academic year, pending delivery of interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site.
The interim accommodation, which includes specialist classrooms, SEN provision and ancillary accommodation, will be installed on the Community College site for the beginning of the 2021/22 school year using the planning exemption secured in March 2021 pertaining to existing schools. Details of the accommodation was communicated to the patrons of the schools concerned.
It is the Department’s intention that the school will move into the interim accommodation on its permanent site as early as possible in the 2021/22 academic year and that the vacated interim accommodation on the Community College site will remain on site and will be available for use by Firhouse Community College as provided for under the exemption. The initial grant of planning permission for the interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site was received on 20th July 2021.
The permanent accommodation plans continue to be progressed while taking account of the interim accommodation. A pre-planning meeting with the local authority has taken place and developed design work is ongoing. Representatives of the school and Patron body will be invited to a meeting to share the plans ahead of lodging the planning application.
My Department has agreed the plans for the interim accommodation on the Community College site with both school patrons and will continue to keep the patron bodies and the schools informed.
