The Department of Education has revealed that it will not be proceeding with the development of a new school in the Kilcarberry housing development in Condalkin.
The news was revealed to South Dublin County Councillors during December’s council meeting.
Instead, the department said it would be upgrading and extending the existing St Ronan’s National School to accommodate extra students.
In 2017, councillors voted to build 1,000 new homes on the 87.37 acre site at Kilcarberry Grange, which includes social and affordable housing.
Construction on the development began in April with Maplewood and Grandbrind, the building contractor, saying that it is the “first public-private housing project of its kind to get underway in the country.
“The construction of Kilcarbery Grange is the first development to emerge from the major urban housing initiative of the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland plan,” its statement reads.
“The project is a joint partnership between the state and the house builders to activate publicly owned land and develop sustainable, urban neighbourhoods with a mix of social, affordable and private housing.”
As part of the initial plans, a new school was also to be built, but after delays, that proposal has now been scuppered.
Several councillors voiced their displeasure at the Department of Education’s decision with Clondalkin councillor William Carey (SF) saying he was “very disappointed”.
He also expressed concern about the manner in which the decision was conveyed to the local authority and “without any apparent consultation with the local community.
“This is a serious development for councillors to consider and will have repercussions in how we approach development plans as we move forward,” says Carey.
“The decision to include a school in the new development was seen as a positive part of building the new community adjacent to Grange Castle.
“I will be raising this at our area committee meeting at the earliest opportunity.
“This will also effect the traffic flow within the area as the increase in population will be taken up with movement to schools across the new Nangor rd into the Bawnogue area.”
Carey added that the only other primary school within the local district is at Sruleen which is across the other side of Corkagh park and already at maximum capacity.
He said he is calling on the Department of Education to reconsider this decision and will be writing to Minister Norma Foley to seek an explanation on this cancellation.
Independent councillor Francis Timmons also criticised the decision saying that many families moving into the Kilcarberry development may “experience difficulty getting a place for their child.”
“This site, we are now informed, will be brought to the council with a plan for up to 80 affordable housing units.
“I am very supportive of housing but without sustainability we will continue to have major issues,” he says.