Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 463: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a site for a new primary school at Ballycullen in west Dublin has been acquired by her Department; the likely timeframe involved concerning a decision in respect of building this new school facility; the number of meetings he has held with South Dublin County Council and the Dublin schools planning committee as a means of assessing the likely timescale of housing development at this location and the anticipated demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30138/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school planning section of my Department works closely with the four local authorities in the Dublin region in monitoring demographic changes and assessing the likely impact of planned new housing developments. A dedicated forum, the Dublin school planning committee, chaired by school planning section, interacts with the Dublin local authorities. This forum also comprises representatives of the patron bodies of primary schools. It meets twice a year. The Dublin school planning committee acts as an initial point of contact where the local authorities can signal to my Department and the patron bodies anticipated demand for school provision. Detailed discussions regarding reservation of sites and scale and timeframe for developments also take place at this forum. Arising from this process, a site for primary school purposes has been reserved in the Ballycullen area. A decision on the provision of a new school will involve further consultations with the local authority regarding the rate and likely timescale of housing developments in the area, together with an ongoing assessment of the capacity of existing schools to meet anticipated demand.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 464: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a site for a new primary school at Fortunestown in west Dublin has been acquired by her Department; the likely timeframe involved concerning a decision in respect of building this new school facility; the number of meetings her Department has held with South Dublin County Council and the Dublin schools planning committee as a means of assessing the likely timescale of housing development at this location and the anticipated demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30142/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school planning section of my Department works closely with the four local authorities in the Dublin region in monitoring demographic changes and assessing the likely impact of planned new housing developments. A dedicated forum, the Dublin school planning committee, chaired by school planning section, interacts with the Dublin local authorities. This forum also comprises representatives of the patron bodies of primary schools. It meets twice a year. The Dublin school planning committee acts as an initial point of contact where the local authorities can signal to my Department and the patron bodies anticipated demand for school provision. Detailed discussions regarding reservation of sites and scale and timeframe for developments also take place at this forum. Arising from this process, a site for primary school purposes has been reserved in the Fortunestown area. A decision on the provision of a new school will involve further consultations with the local authority regarding the rate and likely timescale of housing developments in the area, together with an ongoing assessment of the capacity of existing schools to meet anticipated demand.