Frustration at delay in proposed new schools in East Cork
Anger and frustration were expressed after a planning application for a three-school campus in East Cork has been rejected for a second time.
Oireachtas and local politicians are pointing the finger of blame on an alleged oversight by experts engaged or within the Department of Education.
Last April, Cork County Council rejected an application lodged on behalf of the department for the campus in Carrigtwohill on the grounds of a 'litany of mistakes'.
The new campus was to contain two primary schools with 24 and 16 classrooms and a 700-pupil secondary school.
The latest application should have included an Environmental Impact Assessment report which is required in an urban area for any project that will encompass an area of 10 hectares or more.
Further delays have caused an uproar in the Carrigtwohill area where secondary school places are not available and students are forced to travel to other parts of East Cork.
Standing orders had been suspended at a County Hall chamber meeting in April to discuss the initital rejection of a planning application.
Carrigtowhill-based Cllr Anthony Barry said there were several elementary mistakes, including the number of parking spaces and buildings square footage which did not reflect the numbers of pupils and staff proposed for the campus.
Local TD Pat Buckley said he had been informed by a department official the land area was 0.87 hectares over the specified 10 hectares which required an accompanying EIA.
He underlined the importance of having the problem addressed speedily.
Cllr Barry expressed his anger at "yet another oversight".
He said: "If they altered the plan to remove a playing pitch it would come in under the 10 hectares.
"They could then resubmit a separate plan at a later date for the pitch. The most important thing right now is to get the schools built."
