Written answers

Thursday, 25 May 2006

Department of Education and Science

School Placement

5:00 pm

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the response to the crisis in school places in parts of the country, particularly in commuter areas close to major cities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19878/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly developing areas including the impact of inward migration and the demands to cater for diversity through the recognition of new Gaelscoileanna and Educate Together schools.

In planning for school provision to meet these demands my Department has adopted an area based approach which involves a public consultation process involving all interested parties. This leads to the production of a blueprint for schools' development in an area for a timeframe of approximately ten years.

The exercise recently completed on the N4-M4 corridor is an example of this and the rapidly developing areas of north Dublin, south Louth, east Meath will be examined this year. This structured process will ensure a more proactive approach to school planning than had been the case in the past.

Apart from the area development planning process my Department is also proactively engaged with local authorities on a continual basis in relation to specific areas. This is being done through improved contacts and communication protocols to ensure that the Department is better alerted about new and expanding residential areas and afforded an opportunity to ensure appropriate zoning provision for educational purposes.

For example in the case of the Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) at Adamstown my Department is working closely with South Dublin County Council and the developers to produce an integrated solution to education and community facilities that matches the delivery of new housing. Under the SDZ arrangements there is a requirement that schools are in position ahead of or in line with demand, and I think it is one that should be adopted by other planning authorities in relation to major new housing schemes.

My Department is working particularly closely with Fingal County Council to develop a joint approach to the timely provision of schools in an area of the country subject to extremely rapid development. This work is likely to provide innovative approaches to partnership which I believe can be used to advantage across the country in future.

My Department prioritises school buildings for rapidly developing areas. This is achieved by assigning them a band one priority rating under the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Whenever possible, my Department implements a standardised design model or a design and build process to fast track delivery of the buildings themselves. Not alone does this result in speedier delivery of projects but it also achieves savings in design fees and land use arising from the use of the two storey design. Among schools completed using one of these processes is Griffeen Valley in Lucan which was completed in a 13 month timeframe.

The level of work being done under the schools building programme is at an all-time high. While increased investment is a central reason for this — €500m this year alone — radical changes in how projects are planned and managed have also made a major difference in ensuring that provision is delivered in line with or ahead of demand.

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