Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

However there has been no agreement on the other years. The original intention on 16 May was that it would be for the next five years and this would allow for a continuity of provision. Any work before the summer related only to Kinvara, although we are aware of the population increases in other areas of south Galway, particularly around areas such as Ardrahan and Athenry. That is why those areas were also examined. It was an important opportunity for the commission to examine the population and meet all the relevant bodies because any decision on a school in south Galway will impact on the existing schools, for example Oranmore and Gort. The process undertaken is extensive. I expect to have the report at the end of November and look forward to making a decision on it. The Deputy mentioned a school of 500 or 600 pupils, but I expect that any school would be at least 700 or 800. We would seek a site appropriate for that number of students and that would ensure it was the proper catchment for where the greatest population is. All these issues must be taken into account. It is not an immediate priority that must be done today or tomorrow because there is a school there, whereas some areas have no school——

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