Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The demographics for some of the areas around Dublin reached their projected numbers years in advance of the dates given in the census. For that reason five new primary schools in Kildare have been recognised, three in Meath and two in Dublin, of the counties the Deputy mentioned. This is the type of initiative we take as an immediate response.

The Deputy mentioned Ratoath where an extension to cater for the senior students of the primary school will open in September and already there are plans for a third school there. I visited there recently and saw that end of the county is well served by educational developments and extensions. More provision is needed in some other counties such as Wexford, Westmeath and Laois which are within an hour or 90 minutes' drive of Dublin, and demand has grown.

One anticipated that new building would bring young couples with new families in four or five years' time, instead, five schools on the north side of Dublin have closed while there is a demand for schools in Meath. Whole families move in May and need school places in September. We must react to this. That is why we are investing so much in extensions to schools and pursuing sites in other situations.

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