Christian Brothers to sell land at south Dublin school

Clonkeen College (Google Maps)

The Congregation of Christian Brothers has announced plans to sell 7.5 acres of land at the rear of a secondary school in south Dublin in order to meet the final €10m instalment of the organisation's financial commitments to the State.

The Congregation has also said it intends to start transferring playing fields attached to schools nationally to the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.

Minister for Education Richard Bruton is understood to be aware of both elements of the plan.

The ERST is trustee for 95 primary and secondary schools nationwide, including Clonkeen College in Blackrock.

In a statement, the ERST said the decision to sell the land at Clonkeen College, currently in use as playing fields, was taken solely by the Congregation.

Under the proposal, the school Board of Management will receive 3.5 acres of land, which is valued at around €7.5m.

They will also receive €1m for the development of sport facilities and a further €300,000 to cover other developments at the school.

There will be no change to the use of the land adjoining Clonkeen College until after summer 2018 at the earliest.

A spokesperson for the Congregation of Christian Brothers said that the sale of the land was "not an easy decision".

The spokesperson said that the decision was taken "having made substantial provision for the college's reasonable future needs and having engaged in a process of extensive consultation" with the ERST over the past 12 months.     

A public meeting was held at the school tonight regarding the sale.