COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

MOTION NO.1 

MOTION: Councillor E. Higgins

"That this committee asks the council to work in collaboration with Department of Education and Skills to address the educational crisis at primary school level in Rathcoole and surrounds and requests that a site be identified on council owned lands for a new primary school."

REPORT:

South Dublin County Council works with the Department of Education and Skills (DES), under a nationally agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to proactively identify and acquire sites for new primary and post-primary schools and to support the Department’s Schools Building Programme. The Department of Education and Skills and South Dublin County Council are working together under the MoU in relation to the primary school facilities in Rathcoole.

Firstly, the DES continue to work towards assembling a sufficient site and finalising the acquisition of lands to the north of the main street adjacent to Scoil Chronain. SDCC are facilitating the disposal process and the Planning Department have strongly indicated they are available for a pre planning meeting when an outline proposal is prepared by DES.

Secondly, the DES own lands to the south of Rathcoole Main Street, adjacent to Rathcoole Park and to the rear of Coolamber Drive. The lands are zoned ‘New Residential’ (RES-N) and are part of a significant undeveloped portion of RES-N lands in that general area. The lands are currently landlocked and do not have a convenient vehicular access. SDCC are a significant landowner in the vicinity of the site and are progressing masterplanning their RES-N lands. The development of the SDCC RES-N lands would facilitate vehicular access to the DES lands and provide the DES with a viable site option for a future primary school. SDCC and DES are collaborating on this process.

Thirdly, the DES evaluate school demand on a catchment basis and the relevant DES school planning area is Newcastle/Rathcoole/ Saggart. In April 2018, the Minister for Education and Skills detailed 42 new schools to be provided over the next 4 years. A 8 classroom primary school in the Newcastle/ Rathcoole /Saggart area was listed with an open date of 2020. The DES outline that they are progressing a site at Saggart/Fortunestown Lane for a primary school as part of the 42 new schools and as part of the solution to addressing the demand in the Newcastle/ Rathcoole/ Saggart area.