Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her Department's plans to deal with the additional demands that have arisen for primary school places in Droichead Nua; if there is active engagement between the planning unit of her Department and the planning section of Kildare County Council; if, in view of the inability of the local Catholic schools to meet the existing demand, she envisages the construction of a new Catholic primary school in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11318/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school planning section of my Department is responsible for planning the provision of suitable cost effective accommodation to underpin the delivery of first and second level education. Key functions of the section are ensuring that there are sufficient pupil places available at first and second level schools and that the use of existing accommodation is optimised. Active engagement with local authorities, particularly in rapidly developing areas such as County Kildare, is a critical element of planning the timely delivery of adequate school provision.

Officials from the school planning section have in recent months met with officials from Kildare County Council with regard to monitoring demographic changes and assessing the likely impact of planned new developments in County Kildare on school provision in the area. An application from the St. Conleth's Parish, Newbridge, under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare, to establish a new primary school in the Newbridge area for September 2005 is one of a number of applications being assessed by the new schools advisory committee. A decision on the application will be communicated to the patron body and made public shortly.