Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Martin Heydon for raising this issue. What he has stated there goes considerably beyond his originally tabled issue which was on the improvement of the school facilities in the Curragh area. My reply, which deals with summer works programme approvals and applications, is available to him and is being circulated. However, he has raised a much wider issue.

The Department approaches a proposal like this from the perspective that the patrons are in a position to develop it. No such proposal has been put forward by the patrons at this stage. If an amalgamation of the primary schools was being considered, there would have to be considerable consultation. In terms of the development of new schools, my Department is obliged to consider not only the individual school, conditions and enrolment in respect of which the application is made but also the broader context of schools in the area. While recognising that the Deputy and Ceann Comhairle represent an area where there is considerable and growing pressure on schools, I have not seen a proposal from these schools and my Department has not had a chance to consider any such campus against the context of other provision and needs in the area. As such, I am not in a position to respond in detail to what the Deputy puts forward. Clearly, if there was a desire on the part of the patrons to put forward such a proposal, the Department would discuss it against the context of the planning model we have to apply.

As the Deputy knows, the demand for new places is running at about 20,000 net additional places every year. That is occupying more than 80% of our budget, which places a significant constraint on the Department in terms of considering any application. It has to apply the slide rule to determine how we meet our first responsibilities to ensure there are seats for everyone who wants to attend school. There is no doubt that if the Deputy feels there is an interest in the community in developing this proposal and that the capacity exists to do some sort of swap, I will get my officials to discuss it with the appropriate patrons and consider it in the context of other capital demands.

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