Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:74 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the process of providing a school building for a school (details supplied). [7015/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 6 April 2011
Ceisteanna (74)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy may be aware my Department has met on several occasions with both the GAA club and Dublin City Council, in their respective capacities as the land-holders and as the planning authority, to negotiate with both parties an acceptable solution for the provision of a new school building on the site currently occupied by the school. The net result of these discussions was that after having gone through a number of potential design solutions, an optimal design solution was agreed in principle which would have regard to a number of factors such as the restricted nature of the site, the existing facilities on the overall site, the concerns of the planning authority in relation, inter alia, to traffic management issues and the concerns of the GAA Club in relation to their existing playing pitches.
To this end, my Department is now in the process of working up a detailed planning application based on the initial design solution discussed with the aforementioned parties. The Deputy may also wish to note that within the last few days Dublin City Council has advised my Department that the proposed disposal has been approved at a meeting of the Central Area Committee and the way is now open for the Elected Members to consider the disposal of that portion of the site being made available in accordance with Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001. Once this acquisition is concluded, the proposed building project will be progressed in the context of my Department's School Building & Modernisation Programme.