Niall Blaney (Donegal North East, IND-FF)
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Question 1237: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to an application by a school (details supplied) in County Donegal for an extra classroom in September 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40337/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria and is being considered in the context ofthe school building and modernisation programme 2006-10.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1238: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the serious need for educational support for the international cohort of children in schools (details supplied) in Dublin 24; if account will be taken of the crisis situation developing in this regard; the action she will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40356/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Schools catering for non-national pupils who have significant English language deficits are entitled to assistance to enable these pupils gain full access to the curriculum.

Schools that have 14 to 27 non-English speaking non-national pupils enrolled are entitled to a full-time temporary language support teaching post at primary level. Schools with 28 or more such pupils are entitled to two full-time temporary language support teachers. In exceptional cases, following consideration by my Department's inspectorate, a third teaching post may be sanctioned.

The support for an individual pupil is provided for a period of up to two years. On the basis that the non-national pupils for whom support was sought are enrolled in the schools referred to by the Deputy on 30 September 2005, my Department sanctioned the retention of a third language support teacher in the junior school and a second language support teacher in the senior school concerned for the 2005-06 school year.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 1239: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress which has been made regarding the amalgamation of schools (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40359/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the schools to which she refers have agreed to amalgamate. A technical inspection of the existing buildings found that neither would be suitable to act as a host for the new school. Therefore, it is necessary to apply a greenfield site solution to facilitate the amalgamation.

The school authorities advertised for sites and details of replies have been submitted to my Department for consideration. When a decision has been taken on a suitable site, acquisition will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.