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Seanad Éireann Vol. 239 Wednesday, No. 12 29 April 2015 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 29/04/2015A00100Business of Seanad 2 29/04/2015A00300Commencement Matters 3 29/04/2015A00400Schools Building Projects Status 3 29/04/2015B00400Schools Amalgamation 5 29/04/2015C00200School Enrolments 7 Social Welfare Offices 9 29/04/2015G00100Order of Business 12 29/04/2015O00100Ash Dieback Disease: Statements 23 29/04/2015Z00100Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage 38 29/04/2015HH01500Business of Seanad 52 29/04/2015HH01800Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) 52 29/04/2015KK00775Business of Seanad 56 29/04/2015KK01450Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) 56 29/04/2015KK02400Mental Health Services: Statements 57 29/04/2015SS00600Action Plan for Jobs: Motion 75 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 29 Aibreán 2015 Wednesday, 29 April 2015 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 29/04/2015A00100Business of Seanad 29/04/2015A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have notice from Senator Cáit Keane that, on the motion for the Com- mencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to set out details of the proposals, plans and timeframe for the provision of a permanent building for Gaelscoil Chnoc Li- amhna, Knocklyon, Dublin I have also received notice from Senator Lorraine Higgins of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to review the funding policy for post- primary schools where DEIS and non-DEIS schools have amalgamated I have also received notice from Senator Mary White of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to clarify whether children in the Gl- encullen, County Dublin, catchment area will be in the school feeder area for the proposed new Educate Together post-primary school in Stepaside, County Dublin I have also received notice from Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh of the following matter: An gá go dtabharfaidh an tAire Coimirce Sóisialaí tuairisc ar cé mhéad uair a ndeachaigh oifigigh leasa shóisialaigh ar cuairt chuig tithe cliant i gConamara le bliain anuas de bharr nach raibh na daoine sin ábalta taisteal chuig oifig chathair na Gaillimhe nó oifig An Chlo- cháin mar gheall ar chúinsí airgeadais nó iompair nó ar chúiseanna bailí eile I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to furnish details of all repayments received under the fair deal scheme from the estates of deceased fair deal recipients I have also received notice from Senator Jim Walsh of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to outline any substantive differences that will accrue to same-sex couples from redefining marriage which are not already al- 2 29 April 2015 lowed for under civil partnership legislation I regard the matters raised by Senators Keane, Higgins, White, Ó Clochartaigh and Burke as suitable for discussion I have selected the matters raised by Senators Keane, Higgins, White and Ó Clochartaigh and they will be taken now Senator Colm Burke may give notice on an- other day of the matter he wishes to raise I regret that I have had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Walsh on the grounds that it involves a repeat of the debate on Committee Stage of the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015 29/04/2015A00300Commencement Matters 29/04/2015A00400Schools Building Projects Status 29/04/2015A00350An Cathaoirleach: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy English 29/04/2015A00500Senator Cáit Keane: I welcome the Minister of State I would like to read his reply be- fore I start because for the past 15 years, I have been getting the same reply on this issue The school has been in a prefab accommodation for 19 years and from the day that went on site, it was supposed to get a new school building The prefab accommodation was supposed to be a temporary building but it is still in use It is a large school in Knocklyon and it is bursting at the seams The prefab accommodation has been in use for 19 years and it is totally unsuitable There is a problem with the title deeds in regard to the site It was a road reservation and South Dublin County Council purchased a bit of the land This has been an issue since about five years after the school was established. I was told about ten years ago that South Dublin County Council had requested that the site be vested in the Department of Finance, as that would be the only way to sort this out, but after that, nothing was done It has been going from Billy to Jack Three years ago, I thought the Department of Education would do something but nothing happened I am blue in the face asking about this I was told it was within the remit of the Property Registration Authority, the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Educa- tion and Skills Nobody wants the site; it is a road reservation South Dublin County Council does not have title to it Everybody is in agreement in the Department of Education and Skills that a new school is needed Less than a year ago, I was informed by the Minister that other site options are being considered but no specific details were given in that reply. Can the Minister of State comment on this? What is the actual position? After 20 years of waiting for a new school building, the teachers and pupils - some former pupils are now sending their children to the school - deserve to know what is happening The issue has been going on much too long and I am dying to hear what the Minister of State has to say 29/04/2015A00600Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (Deputy Damien Eng- lish): I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan and I thank the Senator for raising it. As she is aware, officials from my Department have been working closely with South Dublin County Council officials in relation to securing a suitable site to facilitate the delivery of permanent school accommodation for Gaelscoil Chnoc Liamhna The site on which the school’s temporary accommodation is cur- 3 Seanad Éireann rently located is in the ownership of South Dublin County Council This site was assessed by members of the Department’s technical and professional staff and deemed suitable for develop- ment of permanent accommodation for the school, as the Senator rightly said Subsequently, agreement in principle was reached between the Department and South Dublin County Council in relation to the acquisition of the site However, in the course of the conveyancing process, title issues relating to a portion of the site were identified. As the Senator will appreciate, due diligence must be applied with respect to all land transfers Resolution of the title issues is not straightforward and South Dublin County Council has been working with the Department and the Property Registration Authority to obtain a satisfactory outcome for some time Despite the best efforts of all involved, this issue has significantly delayed the site acquisition. Subsequent to the most recent discussions between officials from my Department and from South Dublin County Council, the matter has been reappraised The council has now submitted to my Department a proposal which might serve to provide a satisfactory resolution to the title issues and thereby facilitate the land transfer. This proposal is under review by officials in my Department A response will issue to the council shortly in relation to this proposal and it is en- visaged that this will enable the conveyancing process to progress. Officials in my Department will keep the school authorities informed of any developments Once the acquisition of the site is finalised, it is my Department’s intention to initiate the architectural planning process for the provision of a new school building I assure the Senator that officials from my Department are aware of the situation with regard to the school’s current accommodation and the pressing need to acquire the site In that regard, every effort is being made to advance the process to facilitate progression of the project I thank the Senator again for giving me the opportunity to clarify the situation in this regard I hope it has been of some use 29/04/2015B00200Senator Cáit Keane: The Minister of State has tried his best to make it sound plausible He said: “The council has now submitted to my Department a proposal which might serve to provide a satisfactory resolution to the title issues and thereby facilitate the
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