Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Ryan for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to the House the overall strategy of the Department of Education and Science to address the future requirements in both the primary and post-primary sectors in the Donabate area.

At the outset, it is important to note that the school planning section of the Department works closely with the four local authorities in the Dublin region in monitoring demographic changes and assessing the likely impact of planned new housing developments. A dedicated forum, the Dublin school planning committee, chaired by the school planning section of the Department of Education and Science interacts with the Dublin local authorities in this regard. This forum comprises representatives of the patron bodies of primary schools.

The Dublin school planning committee acts as an initial point of contact where local authorities can signal to the Department and the patron bodies anticipated demand for school provision. Detailed discussions regarding reservation of sites and scale and timeframe for developments also take place at this forum. The issue of the provision of a post primary school for Donabate has been discussed at this forum.

A decision on the need for a new school in any given area will involve further separate detailed consultations with a local authority regarding the likely timescale for the actual delivery of the housing developments together with an ongoing assessment of the capacity of existing schools to meet anticipated demand. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this process is well under way with the local authority in regard to the Donabate area.

In addition, as the Deputy will be aware, a new school planning model involving published area development plans is being piloted in five areas over the current school year. Donabate is included in the pilot scheme as part of an overall plan for the north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth area. This particular area was chosen in recognition of its rapidly developing nature and the pressure which is being brought to bear not only for post primary school places, but for primary places as well. The need for a new post-primary school is also being considered in the context of this plan.

The purpose of this new approach to school planning is to ensure that, in future, the provision of school infrastructure will be decided only after a transparent consultation process. In this regard, parents, trustees, sponsors of prospective new schools and all interested parties from a locality will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process.

Arising from this process, an individual plan will set out the blueprint for the future of educational provision in an area which will be the touchstone against which all decisions in relation to capital investment will be made for the next decade. The draft plan for north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth area is nearing completion in the school planning section of the Department and the Department of Education and Science hopes to be in a position to publish it shortly.

I assure Deputy Ryan that the Department is keenly aware of the developing nature of the Donabate area and is anxious to ensure that its educational infrastructural needs are met in a timely manner. The Minister for Education and Science is confident that the planning process in train will provide a strategic response to those needs.

See this speech in context