Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 457: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been achieved to date by her Department, in acquiring a site for a new post primary school in Monasterevin; if substantial progress has been achieved in the matter; when construction work might begin on the new school project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30439/06]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 458: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been achieved with regard to those school building projects in County Kildare that have been included by her Department in the new public private partnership programme; the next stages in the process; when the schools will move on to details design and construction stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30440/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together.

I announced the first PPP project bundle consisting of St. Mary's CBS and Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise, St. Rynagh's Community College, Banagher and Gallen Community School, Ferbane on the 22nd November 2005. Pre-procurement work on this project bundle was recently completed in my Department and the bundle was offered to the market on the 27th September 2006 by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) who have responsibility for the procurement process.

The make up of further school bundles in my Department's PPP school building programme will be determined on such issues as the band rating allocated to each school in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, site availability for each school, outline planning permission having being secured and the estimated total cost of the proposed school bundle. Officials in the Property Management Section of my Department are actively pursuing the acquisition of a site for St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin, Co Kildare. The suitability of the site has been determined and it is hoped to shortly enter negotiations with the vendor for the acquisition of this site. I will be announcing further PPP project bundles during the year and St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin and Kildare Town Community School will be considered in this context and in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria.