Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 470: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will sanction the construction of a new secondary school for the Castleknock area, Dublin 15 as a matter of urgency. [42422/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school has been sanctioned for Phibblestown Dublin 15. This school has taken longer than expected due to difficulties in acquiring the site. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that as part of my Department's partnership with Fingal County Council the site purchase can now be concluded. The site is almost 8.5 acres in size and the legalities on the site purchase will be completed by County Dublin Vocational Education Committee.

It is intended to progress the provision of the school as a Design Build Project. An advertisement was placed in the Official Journal of the European Union for design build teams and a project manager has also been appointed to manage the delivery of the project.

While it is not possible to be definitive at this early stage as to when the new school will open, the target date for delivery is September 2008.

School Planning Section is also examining the need for further post primary provision in the area.