Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Tuffy for raising this matter. The Minister for Education and Science is fully conscious of the issue raised by the Senator. Lucan is the fastest growing area in the country and there has been a marked increase in the demand for school places, particularly at primary level. To meet this demand, the Department of Education and Science has taken steps to increase the capacity of existing schools in the area by providing permanent and temporary accommodation. Building projects have recently been completed at Scoil Áine junior school and St. Thomas's senior school to increase the capacity of each of these primary schools to 16 classrooms. Construction of the new Lucan Educate Together national school was also recently completed and its capacity is 16 mainstream classrooms and an autistic unit.

The Department has requested that Archbishop Ryan national school reorganise to form a junior school and a senior school. The school's authority and its patron have agreed to this action and the operation will commence in September 2004. The Department will provide accommodation to facilitate a re-organisation which will enable the school to increase its capacity considerably. In addition, the building unit of the Department recently approved the tender for the installation of two prefabricated classrooms at Archbishop Ryan national school to meet immediate accommodation needs.