Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proposed timeframe for the examination of the post-primary education needs of Limerick city and county; the nature of the investigation she intends to carry out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39662/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have recently announced the carrying out of an area development plan for Limerick city and its environs. This will cover educational provision in the city and surrounding area factoring in the existing education provision in Shannon, Askeaton, Pallaskenry, Croom and Newport.

This new model for planning for educational infrastructure is designed to ensure that, in future, school provision will be decided after a transparent consultation process. In this regard, trustees, parents, sponsors of prospective schools and all interested parties from a locality will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process.

The process involves the publication of a draft area development plan of which the main components are: details of existing primary and post-primary provision; examination of the demographics of the area; commentary on the data; recommendations for the area into the future. Following publication of the draft area development plan, the commission on school accommodation will conduct a public engagement process to which all interested parties can make submissions. All of these submissions will be published. The process in each case culminates in the publication of a final area development plan against which all capital funding decisions will be made over the next decade.

Final area development plans have been published for the Mountmellick-Mountrath area and for the area around the N4 from Leixlip through Kilcock, Enfield, Longwood, Kinnegad and Rochfortbridge to Kilbeggan. The area development plan for Westport-Newport will be published shortly. It is intended to publish the draft plans for the north Kerry area and for the north Dublin, south Louth and east Meath area in the first part of next year. The Limerick draft area development plan will follow in the course of 2006-07.