New classroom is required to accommodate Ukrainian pupils

A NEW classroom is required in Adamstown Educate Together to accommodate Ukrainian children and children coming from a homeless hub in Finnstown.

This is according to Councillor Paul Gogarty (Ind) who was placing a motion before the Lucan/Palmerstown/ North Clondalkin area committee meeting on January 24 seeking an update on the Adamstown Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).

Cllr Gogarty asked that the Council provide a comprehensive written update on the Adamstown SDZ as the previous scheduled briefing did not take place.

The Council in it’s report stated that “a clerical error in relation to a specific briefing on the R136 Section 38 caused confusion in December”.

The Manager, who apologised to Cllr Gogarty for the “clerical error … that caused confusion”, also confirmed that the Council are committed to the briefings.

A key issue that Cllr Gogarty raised was that, judging by the response of the Department of Education to a motion of his before Christmas, which references Adamstown Castle Educate Together, that “this would suggest that that school is looking to operate the 32-classroom school”.

Cllr Gogarty said that this would raise a challenge in terms of opening an additional Junior infants class to cater for the overspill from Halwell and Gandon and also for the Ukrainians who “will be coming in shortly”.

Cllr Gogarty said there needed to be a renewed focus from the liaison team in relation to school places within Adamstown.

Regarding the school issue raised by Cllr Gogarty the Manager confirmed that the Council is “very conscious of that and are following up”.

He also confirmed that there is a quarterly meeting with the Department of Education coming up towards the end of January/early February at which the Council will raise Cllr Gogarty’s query and will have an update on that for the March meeting.

Strategic Development Zones (SDZ) are areas of land that the Government may designate where their development is considered to be of strategic national economic and social importance.

The SDZ designation enables the fast-track delivery of new residential and non-residential development.

Before development can be permitted in an SDZ, it is necessary to prepare a planning scheme for the area.

Cllr Gogarty thanked the Manager for his response and said in terms of feedback for the March meeting “it is hugely important that we do get an opening of an additional Primary classroom up on the 32 site or else close by because in April we have some Ukrainian kids coming, we have kids meeting that age group that are currently in a homeless hub in Finstown, we have Halwell, we have Gandon and the Department can’t pass the buck for much longer, so that would be a key one”.

Cllr Gogarty’s motion was agreed.