Lands acquired for new Ballincollig school remain in Council ownership

Lands acquired by Cork City Council at Lisheens, Ovens for the purposes of developing a new shared education campus in Ballincollig remain in Council ownership, a councillor has said.

The land was acquired via Compulsory Purchase Order in May 2024, to accommodate Le Chéile secondary school and Gaelscoil an Chaisleáin, Sinn Féin’s Joe Lynch explained at Monday night’s council meeting. He asked why the land has not yet been transferred to the Department of Education, what engagement there has been with the Department of Education to advance the design, planning and construction phases of the project, and when it is anticipated the school campus will be operational.

Niall Ó Donnabháin, the council’s director of planning and integrated development, told Mr Lynch: “The land, the subject of the query, remains in City Council ownership awaiting completion of the formal vesting process which will subsequently enable advancement of the formal disposal process to the Department of Education and Youth.

“The design of the intended education campus and facilities thereon, rests solely with the Department of Education and Youth to advance. Cork City Council does not contribute to the design stage, beyond pre-planning consultation and ultimately performing its role as the planning authority.

“The Department of Education and Youth would be the appropriate government department to contact to provide response to the details sought.”