John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the substantial additional number of places created in primary school places in Lucan, she will carry out a review of second level schools in Lucan to ensure adequate second level capacity will be available there (details supplied). [26398/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am conscious of the fact that Lucan is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. In light of this, my Department has expanded capacity significantly at both primary and post-primary level to cater for existing and newly emerging demands for pupil places. With regard to post-primary capacity specifically, a new school for Coláiste Cois Life is currently under construction. This will provide places for 600 pupils, some 400 additional places relative to existing capacity. In addition to this, capacity at Coláiste Phádraig has been increased by 300 pupil places with the completion of a major extension project at that school. A further extension project at St. Joseph's College to provide an overall capacity of 725 pupil places has also been completed. This is deemed sufficient to meet demand from pupils in its catchment area.

The Deputy will probably be aware that there is considerable vacant capacity at post-primary level in areas adjacent to Lucan. Given that it is practice, particularly in Dublin, for post-primary students to travel some distance to attend a post-primary school, it is not unreasonable that my Department should seek to optimise the use of existing surplus capacity at post-primary schools in the general vicinity of Lucan as part of its strategy to address any shortfall for post- primary places that may emerge. This is its intention. In addition to this, as I announced last week, a brand new post-primary school will be built at Adamstown under the public private partnership initiative to meet the needs of that particular area as it develops. My Department will continue to monitor the situation in Lucan to ensure that any future emerging needs are addressed in a timely manner.