Stepaside Educate Together faces delay to new school building

Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School’s (SETSS) quest for a permanent building has taken a set back after it was revealed it was not included on a list of eight projects that will go out for tender in the coming months.

In a statement, the school’s principal Barbara Mulhall said: “Following a request for information regarding the timetable for our permanent building, we have been informed through Minister Josepha Madigan that the tender documents are being prepared and when these are finalised in the coming months the project will then be in a position to go to tender with a bundle of projects.

“This means that we are not one of the eight schools currently tendering as we had originally been told, but once the current tender exercise is complete in Quarter 1 of 2021, the Department of Education and Skills (DES) will then be tendering other schools to that framework, including Stepaside ETSS.

“They expect it would be tendered in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3 of 2021.

“Unfortunately, this means that even in a best-case scenario we will not be in a position to move into our new school building until September 2022.”

Mulhall said that permission for the new building was granted by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council June 2019 subject to 18 conditions.

However, two of these conditions were appealed by DES to An Bord Pleanala and subsequently the conditions were overturned.

“The ABP decision facilitated the progression to the next stage i.e. tender and construction.

“Unfortunately, this process was delayed, and tendering will now not take place before the first quarter of 2021,” Mulhall said.

“This is very disappointing and disheartening news to hear.

“We, our students and our wider school community have been completely let down by the system,” she said.

“Following the board of management meeting, we have decided to launch a public campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the school.

“Clearly, trusting in the system has not worked for our school community. We will enlist the support of all the stakeholders and supporters of the school.”

Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School opened in September 2016 and was originally located on the grounds of De La Salle Palmerstown Rugby Club in a small number of prefabs.

In September 2019, the school moved to prefabs on the Ballyogan Road next to the site purchased for the development of the permanent school building.

The 6.355-acre site was purchased by the Department of Education in 2019 from Horse Racing Ireland.

In a statement to Southside People, Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan TD said:

“I share the frustration of parents and staff that Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School that the design process for the new school is not yet complete.

“Although, the school building programme does not come under my remit as Minister, I am committed to doing whatever I can to support the school community.

“I have brought this matter to the attention of Minister for Education Norma Foley and her officials and I will continue to advocate for the school until progress is made.

“I want to see Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School at the top of the list for the next round of tendering and I am determined to ensure that the school is built as soon as possible.

This project is long overdue. A site has been acquired and planning permission secured. It is now time to move ahead with the design process so that tendering can begin.”

Local Independent councillor Michael Fleming expressed his disappointment to the news.

“The management of the school were told that SETSS would be included in the tender process for 2020/21.

“However, they have now been informed that they have not been included in the tender process for constructing of their new school building and therefore another considerable delay for the school.

“The best-case scenario is that SETSS now will not be able to move into their new school building until at least September 2022.

“I am very disappointed with this decision as our area need more secondary schools to cope with the expanding population and greater demand for amenities.

“I call on the local TDs to support an overturning of this decision and allow SETSS to be included in the current tender process to expedite the commencement of construction of their new school building. I am offering my full support to the school and parents on this matter.”

Minister for Education Norma Foley has been contacted for comment.