Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 505: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a decision will be made on a new secondary school for Gorey, County Wexford; if a site has been identified; the person who will take charge of same; when she expects to apply for planning permission for same; when she expects students to start there; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12282/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the proposed new post-primary school for Gorey will be delivered by way of a public private partnership, PPP. As I indicated in my statement on 29 September 2005 concerning this matter, it is my intention that the first bundle of schools under my Department's PPP programme will be offered to the market in the first half of 2006 and regularly thereafter in the period 2006 to 2009 to ensure a steady flow. The precise make-up of the bundles in terms of the number of schools in each, the geographical spread and the timing for delivery will be determined by my Department in consultation with the centre of expertise established within the NDFA.

With regard to the preliminaries for the new school in Gorey, my Department is in discussion with the local authority on the identification of a suitable site for the school. At the appropriate time, my Department will be engaging with the relevant education partners as regards the process and arrangements that will be required to ensure a smooth transition from a one-school centre to a two-school centre. Part of this process will involve defining the enrolment policies and catchment areas that will underpin effective provision once Gorey becomes a two school centre and also the enrolment policy that should operate at the existing post-primary school during the transition period.