Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 948: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the notification which was received from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding the 20 non-national families moved by that Department from Athlone to Dundalk; the advance actions which were taken to accommodate the educational needs of the families; if schools in the area were consulted regarding these needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10920/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school planning and the primary administration sections or the relevant regional offices of my Department did not receive any notification of the transfer of non-national families from Athlone to Dundalk as referred to by the Deputy, nor would such notification necessarily be required. Arrangements may have been made locally with the relevant school authorities in the normal way in relation to meeting the educational needs of any pupils newly enrolled in the area concerned.

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 949: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the alarming situation that has developed in Skerries, County Dublin whereby parents are unable to secure places for their children in primary schools in Skerries, Balbriggan or Lusk; the action she intends to take to resolve this issue. [10952/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Enrolments at the two primary schools in Skerries are stable and I have not been made aware of particular difficulties regarding demand for primary school places in the area. However, officials in the school planning section of my Department are reviewing the overall primary educational needs of the area. As the Deputy will be aware, a new school planning model involving published area development plans is being piloted in five areas in the current school year. Included in the pilot scheme is an overall plan for the north Dublin-east Meath and south Louth area. The need for additional primary facilities in that 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.