Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
598. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education the status of the development of a school building project (details supplied); the details of the engagement between her Department officials and local authority officials; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33811/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the permanent site for the school referred to by the Deputy, approval to dispose of the site to the Minister was granted at Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Meeting on 11th April 2022. This transfer is being progressed in line with the DPER protocol 15/11 for the “Intra State Transfer of State Property Assets” together with an agreed valuation produced by the Valuations Office. Heads of Terms have been agreed and my Department are awaiting draft contracts. It is expected that conveyancing will conclude shortly.
The school is currently located in interim accommodation at Kill Lane, Kill o’the Grange, Blackrock. My Department lodged a planning application with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council on Tuesday June 21st 2022 to provide interim accommodation on the Mount Anville site. In this regard, I can confirm that there were meetings between DLRCC, representatives from my Department and the project manager on the following dates: 16th March, 11th April, 19th May, 27th May, 30th May and 1st June 2022.
As a contingency arrangement, last week my Department also lodged a Section 5 application to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to determine whether a proposal to provide interim accommodation on the grounds of Mount Merrion Community Centre requires planning permission or is considered exempted development. The interim accommodation, which can be installed on either site once permission is secured, is already procured and available to my Department for installation. A Fire Cert and a Disability Access Certificate will be required on whichever site is available first and applications for these are being prepared.
My Department is also working with the school's patron body, An Foras Pátrúnachta, to identify other contingency arrangements in the immediate Blackrock area to supplement the accommodation in which the school is currently located, should that be necessary.
The permanent building project for the school is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme and will provide a new 8 classroom Primary School and two classrooms for children with special educational needs.
My Department will shortly be commencing the tender process for the appointment of the Project Manager for the delivery programme of a number of schools including the school referred to by the Deputy. Once the Project Manager is appointed, they will commence the tender process for the appointment of the design team that will take the project forward through the stages of architectural planning to tender and construction. It is not possible at this time, ahead of the appointment of the design team and subsequent pre-planning consultations with the local authority, to indicate when the planning application for the project will be submitted.
My Department will continue to address the interim accommodation requirements for the school and will continue to keep the school and its patron body updated as the project progresses.
