Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 458: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the forward planning which is being carried out by her in relation to the north Dublin constituency for the provision of primary and post primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4536/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, a new school planning model involving published area development plans is being piloted in five areas over the current school year, included in the pilot scheme is the north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth area.

The purpose of this new approach to school planning is to ensure that in future the provision of school infrastructure will be decided only after a transparent consultation process. In this regard, parents, trustees, sponsors of prospective new schools and all interested parties from a locality will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process.

Arising from this process, an individual plan will set out the blueprint for the future of educational provision in an area, which will be the touchstone against which all decisions in relation to capital investment will be made for the next decade.

The draft plan for north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth area is nearing completion in the school planning section of my Department and I hope to be in a position to publish shortly.