As part of my Department's standard general procedures for identifying potential sites for new schools and in line with protocols for the use of State Property Assets, State-owned lands were identified as a possible site for a new permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy. A master planning exercise for the site in question commenced and is currently at draft stage.
Given the passage of time since the original site identification process, my Department considered it prudent to carry out a further site identification exercise for a 1,000 pupil school in this area and this process is ongoing at the moment. The purpose of the current exercise is to establish if the situation has changed in the intervening period and if other site options have become available.
In respect of a solution for the permanent school, my Department is examining all options. In order to better inform these deliberations my Department has undertaken a site identification process in the greater Bray area. The site identification process has identified one site with some potential. However to advance to negotiations, my Department is currently seeking clarification on a number of issues which would impact on the deliverability of this site in a timely manner. A technical assessment is underway on a second potential site option, which will include consultation with the Local Authority. Due to commercial sensitivities my Department cannot provide further information at this time.
