Purpose-built school proposed in development plans

A new purpose-built school for children with additional needs has been proposed to be included in development plans in Cherry Orchard.

The Park West-Cherry Orchard Plan identified the need for a new school in the area as St Ultan’s National School is currently at capacity.

Councillor Daithí Doolan made the case for this new school to be focused on children with additional needs and said that some have to travel a long distance to avail of school facilities that meet their needs.

Cllr Doolan said: “We have children who’ve been told by the powers that be that, if you have autism or if you have mild to moderate special needs, that you may have to travel 40km from your home for an education. 40km.

“So, that creates huge barriers to parents and to children accessing school and I think any of us would find that unacceptable.”

A suitable location for the provision of the school is identified in the southeast corner of Site 6 of the Local Area Plan, located by Park West Avenue.

In addition, the plan supports the expansion of the existing St Ultan’s National School and/or the provision of an additional primary school in the lands surrounding the existing school.

Under the National Development Plan, €7.55bn will be spent on educational infrastructure between now and 2030.

€5bn of this will go towards the provision of additional capacity and the modernisation of facilities with a strong special education dimension to all projects.

Senior Executive Planner for Planning, Property and Economic Development at Dublin City Council, Michael Rossiter shared that discussions with the Department of Education and Youth has highlighted the need for more special education needs provision.

Rossiter added that this may result in schools requiring additional accommodation or space to meet this growing need.

Cllr Doolan said: “I would hope that the Department of Education would be enlightened enough to realise that that plot of land should be used to construct a state-of-the-art school that meets the needs of local children and children from surrounding communities when they have autism or mild to moderate learning difficulties.

“That those children can receive the best education that this state can afford them in their own backyard rather than having to get lifts and cars and taxis outside Dublin, beyond Dublin, to access education.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.