Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the provision of a new or relocated secondary or primary school in the area of Shankill, County Dublin; and if she will assess the viability of using the former Shanganagh Prison building and lands as a school. [20165/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are two primary schools in Shankill. Enrolments in these schools are stable. Neither school has applied to my Department for additional accommodation. At post primary level, there are enough spare places in the existing second level schools in the vicinity of Shankill to accommodate all students from Shankill for the foreseeable future. The schools in Bray, Loughlinstown and Cabinteely are just a very short bus journey from Shankill, on the 7, 45, 45A and 84 bus routes and indeed many students from Shankill walk or cycle to these schools also. The all-girls' schools in Rockford Manor and Sion Hill have always served the Shankill area and have the capacity to continue to do so. Rockford Manor can be reached by the 45 bus, while Sion Hill is easily reached by both DART and bus services from Shankill.

Whether or not a new school is provided in any given area depends on the availability of places in the existing schools in that area and whether future population growth is likely to require more places than are available. The 2002 census showed that the population of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown electoral area grew by just 0.9% as a whole between 1996 and 2002, with some parts of the area growing considerably while other parts showed a marked decline in population. The population of the area is also getting older. To date there have been plenty of places available both in the existing primary schools and in the second level schools in the vicinity of Shankill to accommodate the increase in the number of people of school going age in the Shankill area, and given the number of spare places available in these schools this is likely to be the case for some time.

Obviously the development of Cherrywood and the Rathmichael area will create demand in the future which will have to be considered. My Department will continue to closely monitor population statistics for Shankill and other parts of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown to ensure that any new schools that might be required will be put in place in good time.