Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to build new second level schools in keeping with the requirements as set out by the school authorities throughout County Kildare; when she expects to move this programme forward; the schools most likely to be affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13440/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Applications for capital funding from schools in County Kildare are being considered as part of a review of all projects that did not proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme. Under this review, all projects are being assessed against the published prioritisation criteria that were revised last year following consultation with the education partners. Each project will be assigned a band rating and the progress of all projects will be considered in the context of the school building programme from 2005 onwards.

I wish to inform the Deputy that the extensions projects at Maynooth post-primary school, St. Farnan's vocational school and Ardscoil Rath Iomghain are expected to go to tender and construction this year. In addition, the extension projects at Meánscoil Iognáid Ris and Scoil Eoin, Athy are progressing through architectural planning. A new school planning model involving published draft area development plans was piloted in five areas in 2004. Included in the pilot scheme is the area around the N4-M4 from Leixlip to Kilbeggan. Included in this are areas referred to by the Deputy.

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 in the locality will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process. The commission on school accommodation recently completed the public consultation process on the draft area development plan for the N4-M4 area and it will bring forward its report as soon as possible. Applications for capital funding from schools in this area will continue to be processed under the review mentioned above. When the commission's report becomes available, the appropriate adjustments will be made where necessary.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to build new primary schools in keeping with the requirements as set out by the school authorities throughout County Kildare; when she expects to move this programme forward; the schools most likely to be affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13441/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a number of large-scale building projects for schools in County Kildare have been approved to progress under the school building programme for 2005. Specifically, a new school building for Scoil Uí Riada, Kilcock and extension projects to Scoil Bhride, Athgarvan and St. Patrick's national school, Morristown, Newbridge have been approved to go to tender and construction over the next 15 months. In addition, extension projects at Presentation Convent, Maynooth, Scoil Bhríde, Nurney, Caragh national school, Naas and St. Raphaels special school, Celbridge have been approved to progress through architectural planning.

A total of 13 primary schools in Kildare have been approved for funding under the summer works scheme for small-scale projects and a further 13 schools have been allocated funding under the devolved initiative scheme to improve their accommodation. Progress on further applications for capital funding from schools in Kildare is being considered in the context of the school building programme from 2005 onwards. In addition, in 2004 a new school planning model involving published draft area development plans was piloted in five areas. Included in the pilot scheme is the area around the N4-M4 from Leixlip to Kilbeggan.

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 in the locality will have the opportunity to have their voice heard in the process. The final development for an area will be the mark against which all capital funding decisions will be made for that area for the next decade. The commission on school accommodation recently completed the public consultation process on the draft area development plan for the N4-M4 area and it will bring forward its report to me as soon as possible.