Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that families moving into Balbriggan, County Dublin are unable to secure places for their children who may already be in school from their previous address or who are due to commence school in September 2005; and if, in this regard, she will report on the position of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin. [7227/05]

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that families moving into Balbriggan, County Dublin are unable to secure places for their children who may already be in school from their previous address or who are due to commence school in September 2005; and if, in this regard, she will report on the position of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7228/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together.

My Department is aware that Balbriggan is a rapidly developing area and it is taking a number of measures to address this situation.

Under the capital programme for 2005, sanction has been given for temporary accommodation at St. Molagas national school, Scoil Peadar agus Pól national school and St. George's national school to cater for increased enrolments for September 2005.

In addition to this, an application for the establishment of a new primary school under the patronage of Educate Together is currently being assessed by the New Schools Advisory Committee. My Department is supporting this application, a decision on which will be given by mid-April next.

With regard to future provision in the Balbriggan area, 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. Balbriggan is included in the pilot scheme as part of an overall plan for the north Dublin-east Meath and south Louth area. The need for additional educational provision in the area will be considered in this context.

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 it shortly.

With regard to the specific issues referred to by the Deputy the position is that where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the board has refused to enrol a student, section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides parents with an appeal process to the Secretary General of my Department. Where an appeal under section 29 is upheld, the Secretary General may direct a school to enrol a pupil.