Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 December 2017
70. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to locate a temporary premises for a school (details supplied); and if this issue will be addressed in time in order to ensure that the school can open in September 2018. [51988/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, where a requirement for additional post-primary schools has been identified, details including proposed timelines related to the opening of the schools are made known by a Ministerial announcement. However, patrons may decide for different operational reasons in a particular year that it is in the best interests of a new post-primary school to defer its opening. In some cases there may be a timing issue, where many parents will have already committed to other second level schools in the area ahead of the announcement of the new school.
The Patron of the new Malahide/Portmarnock post-primary school (Educate Together) decided for operational reasons that it was in the best interests of the school to postpone its opening to September 2018. My Department is continuing to work in close co-operation with the patron body to facilitate the opening of the school in suitable interim accommodation in September 2018.
