Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of second level school places her Department will have in place in the following areas (details supplied) for September 2004 and September 2005 and the number of pupils expected to seek places. [23270/05]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 452: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which she intends to provide for pupils seeking places in 2005 in second level schools who were formally in the catchment area for schools in Naas, Clane, Celbridge and Maynooth and now find that the catchment area is restricted because of pressure of population growth (details supplied). [23271/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 452 together.

The information in the format requested by the Deputy is not readily available. However, the Deputy will be aware that my Department has made a number of interventions in the areas concerned in recent years to ensure that there are adequate pupil places to meet demand. Specifically, the management authority of St. Patrick's post primary school, County Kildare VEC, is currently progressing plans to relocate the school and extend capacity to 1,000 pupils. An extension project is under construction at St. Mary's College which will increase capacity at that school to 900 pupils. A similar extension is under construction at Meanscoil Iognaid Ris and further accommodation needs at the school are currently in planning. In Kilcock an extension project at Scoil Dara was recently completed which has increased capacity to 875 pupils. In addition, the following extension projects have been authorised to progress to tender and construction in the coming months — Newbridge College, Maynooth post-primary and St. Farnan's, Prosperous.

All of these initiatives represent huge capital investment and demonstrate my commitment to meeting the needs of the areas concerned. The school planning section of my Department will keep the position under review going forward to ensure that any additional emerging needs are met as expeditiously as possible.