Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 383: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the fact that 23 children will not be taken into a school (details supplied) in September 2006, she has alternative arrangements which might be put in place to ensure that these children receive their education from September 2006. [14033/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers made an application for additional temporary accommodation for the 2006-07 school year. This has been approved by my Department. The extra accommodation will meet the needs of the school's enrolment policy which operates a cut-off point. This cut-off point will result in the carry over of a small number of pupils to the next school year which is not uncommon where an increasing demand for enrolments manifests itself. In the case in question, the cut-off point does not contravene the requirements of the Education Welfare Act.

With regard to the schools long-term accommodation needs, the property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in regard to site acquisitions generally, is continuing, in consultation with the local authority, to explore all possibilities in relation to the acquisition of a site for a new school building. In tandem, my Department is examining the demographics of the area to determine the optimum school size required. It has commenced consultations with the school authority in this regard. It is my Department's intention to provide the new school building as expeditiously as possible.