Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)

In recent years, the Leopardstown-Stepaside area has undergone extensive development and expansion. In the past five years, approximately 6,000 additional residential units have been given planning permission and commenced building. In most cases, they are occupied. Further residential units are planned.

The recent agreement of the Kilternan local area plan ensures further development, population expansion and educational need in the area. The Department has been helpful in meeting the area's primary educational needs in that there are six primary schools, two of which were completed recently, and the completion of another has been fast-tracked. The area is appreciative of these facts and, with the Department's agreement, sites for an additional three primary schools have been identified.

While the area is on track to have nine primary schools, it will not have a post-primary school. In 2000, the Stepaside area action plan identified a site for a post-primary school just outside the village and a reservation order was placed. In 2001, the Department's inspectors visited the site and confirmed the need for a post-primary school. Therefore, the reservation order was to remain in place. Six years on and we are still awaiting news of progress. Children from the area attend a range of secondary schools, almost none of which has direct bus routes to and from the area. This places a burden on people in terms of transport and has an adverse impact on the community's future development. I hope the Minister of State has good news regarding progress in terms of the site's acquisition and plans for the post-primary school.