Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 1681: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in transferring a school (details supplied) to suitable accommodation until its permanent school has been built; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2305/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1743: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if recent developments whereby she or her Department have encouraged two or more schools to share the same building is expected to become commonplace in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3022/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1754: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her reason for encouraging the sharing of accommodation at schools (details supplied) in County Kildare; if a particular timescale is applicable in respect of the sharing of the facilities; the reason this proposal was not referred to in response to parliamentary questions in respect of both schools in the past six months; if she has given an undertaking to the authorities of both schools as to when they will each have full possession of their promised requirements on their respective school sites; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3033/07]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 1755: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the decision was made to move a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; when initial correspondence was issued from her Department to the patrons or boards of management of both schools; when a determination was made by her Department on whether this move would be made; when this was agreed with the schools in question and the terms of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3055/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1681, 1743, 1754 and 1755 together.

The Department has decided to make vacant accommodation in a State owned building being partly used by one primary school available to another for a period of two years. Under the correct protocol, this decision was communicated to the respective Patrons in April 2006. It is a matter for the Patrons, as the ultimate authority in a school, to address the matter with their Boards of Management.

There are three advantages to the move. Firstly, the school moving in will be removed from temporary accommodation. Secondly, both schools will be able to share the running costs of the building — a source of concern for the current tenant school. Thirdly, a multi-million euro State owned asset will be fully used sooner than anticipated bearing in mind that it is incumbent on the Department to ensure that the use of State owned assets are maximised at all times in the taxpayers' interest.

The Department and the Patron jointly appointed a facilitator to plan for and effect the move. In planning the move, the facilitator took next September's intake requirement for both schools into account. The Department is satisfied that both schools will fit comfortably this year and next and that there is no basis for any suggestions that the schools will not be able to enrol junior infants next year. The Department hopes that the Boards of Management concerned will work together to allay any fears which their respective parent bodies might have in this regard. The Department also hopes that the Boards will work together to ensure the success of this short term measure in the best interests of the children concerned.