Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to reiterate the Government's commitment to delivering new schools for Laytown on schedule.

Prior to the 2005-06 school year there was only one primary school in the Laytown-Bettystown region, catering for children from junior infants to sixth class. Due to demand for increased school places, my Department sanctioned the provisional recognition of a second primary school, Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa, from 1 September 2005. We also agreed to a local proposal that the new school would be a junior school, catering for pupils from junior infants to second class, with the existing school, Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh, operating as a senior school catering for pupils from third to sixth class. Both schools are expected to grow to 24 classrooms.

Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa is housed in temporary accommodation on the campus of the senior school and has an enrolment for the 2006-07 school year of 181 pupils. The Department is working at a senior level with Meath County Council and the relevant authorities of the schools in Laytown to deal with the accommodation needs for September 2007 and onwards.

Meath County Council reserved a site of approximately 15.5 acres in the Laytown local area plan for educational provision. The land is owned by two individuals. In October 2006 I announced that departmental officials had agreed terms for the acquisition of the larger part of this site. My Department's relations with this landowner have been amicable and he has stated publicly that he is "very happy" with the deal agreed.

Terms were agreed for the purchase of the second smaller piece of land in December 2006. This second parcel was intended to be home to the temporary accommodation in the short term and then to provide access between the existing primary school and the permanent new school building. Difficulties have arisen, however, since the terms were originally agreed for this second piece of land, which could conceivably have delayed the provision of temporary accommodation. As a result my Department has now put a contingency plan in place.

This process involves a new planning application, lodged last Friday, for temporary accommodation for September 2007 on the much larger second parcel of land. The owner of this land has given his written consent to the planning application. Meath County Council has agreed that the planning application will be dealt with speedily, and provided we have a smooth run through the planning phase, we aim to start construction on the temporary school and temporary road in May. This will enable the primary school to open in September on this land and the permanent building for the school to be in place in September 2008.

The land in question is zoned for educational use. It is also of sufficient size to accommodate the new primary and post-primary schools. It should be noted that it is a condition laid down by Meath County Council that no further development can happen in this area until a primary school has been provided. The 16 classroom temporary school is sized to cater for the existing enrolment in Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa and its September 2007 intake. It will ensure that there are enough mainstream classes and ancillary accommodation to meet the school's needs until the new permanent building is available in September 2008.

The Department has appointed a firm of project managers to oversee and devise a masterplan for the project to provide an education campus for Laytown-Bettystown. The education campus will provide for a 24-classroom primary school and for a 1,000 pupil post-primary school, under the auspices of County Meath Vocational Education Committee and shared community and sports facilities. Meath County Council planning department approved the masterplan for the campus.

The new permanent 24-classroom junior school will be delivered under a design and build contract and the design and procurement phases of the programme are proceeding in tandem with the site acquisition. Departmental officials have briefed the two primary schools on the masterplan and project timescales.

I reiterate my commitment to ensuring that the new schools for Laytown are delivered on schedule and thank the Deputy for giving me this opportunity to outline the position on these.

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