Written answers

Wednesday, 31 January 2007

Department of Education and Science

Site Acquisitions

8:00 am

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 1426: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will acquire the designated school site at Hollywoodrath, Dublin 15 in view of the fact that there is no school in Hollystown and the adjacent Tyrrelstown school already has enough applicants to fill six classes of junior infants in the 2007 to 2008 school year. [43811/06]

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 1427: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will purchase the 1.5 acre reserved site at Littlepace, Dublin 15; and the discussions she has had with the landowners regarding this matter to date. [43812/06]

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1472: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a site has been purchased for a primary school in Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15; the way it is proposed to accommodate all the pupils of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 from September 2007; when the permanent school building will be constructed and opened; and the further provision needs to be made in the medium term to meet the need for primary school places in the Tyrrelstown area. [1217/07]

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1473: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will immediately acquire the one and a half acres of land to provide urgently needed space for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [1218/07]

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1474: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the up to date situation with the acquisition of a site for primary schools in Ongar, Dublin 15; the areas of the site; and when schools (details supplied) will have their permanent buildings opened. [1219/07]

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1475: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way, with regard to primary school places in Dublin 15, it is intended to avoid the situation that arose in 2006 when substantial numbers of children could not be initially accommodated in local schools. [1220/07]

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1476: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schedule for the construction of a second level school in Ongar, Dublin 15. [1221/07]

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1477: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the projections for secondary school needs in Dublin 15, particularly in Castleknock and Tyrrelstown. [1222/07]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1534: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in relation to the proposed permanent site for schools (details supplied) in Dublin 15, the acquisition of the site has been finalised; the size of the site; the cost of acquiring the site; the number of pupils to be catered for in each of the schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1487/07]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1535: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school site (details supplied) is grossly overcrowded; if this site is to be significantly extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1488/07]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1536: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the exact location of each site in relation to each of the proposed new primary schools announced for Dublin 15 including the Tyrellstown site; the total size of each site; the cost of acquiring each site; the number of pupils that will be catered for by each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1489/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1426, 1427, 1472 to 1477, inclusive, and 1534 to 1536, inclusive, together.

As the Deputies will be aware the recent Census preliminary figures confirm the Fingal area of Dublin as the fastest growing area in the country. The Department is of the view that between primary and post primary level, some 20 new schools will be required there over the coming years. The challenge is to provide these schools in line with or ahead of demand for pupil places.

Considerable interventions have already been made by the Department to increase pupil places and these interventions are being backed up by a significant construction programme.

In this regard, phase two of the building project at Mary Mother of Hope N.S., Littlepace is on schedule to open for September 2007. This will provide a new 16 classroom facility for the area.

In addition, plans are being advanced to provide a new school for Castaheany Educate Together and St. Benedict's National School. These schools are currently located on a temporary basis on the Mary of Mother of Hope N.S. site. When they move to their permanent location in Ongar, this will free up the Mary Mother of Hope site considerably. In the circumstances, the Department has no plans to acquire additional land for the Mary Mother of Hope school. I would like to point out that this school will also have the benefit of enhanced shared community facilities under an arrangement with Fingal County Council.

With regard to the site at Ongar, following pre-planning discussions with the local authority, the 4 acre site is being supplemented with an additional 1.8 acres to improve access and traffic management on the site. The development of this site for Castaheany Educate Together and St. Benedict's National School will provide a total of 40 classrooms to cater for up 1,000 primary pupils. These schools will also benefit from enhanced shared community facilities.

Other developments in the Dublin 15 area at primary level include the planned expansion of St. Brigid's National School in Castleknock, and extensions to St. Brigid's Boys and Girls National Schools in Blanchardstown. Design teams have recently been appointed for both of these projects.

The Board of Management of St. Mochta's National School, agreed to expand its school to enable a four stream intake from September 2006. The extension project for this school as well as one for St Patrick's Junior and Senior Schools, Corduff were also included on the recent list of schools for the appointment of design teams.

The Department has secured a site in Tyrrelstown to provide permanent accommodation for Tyrrelstown Educate Together NS. The Department is in discussion with the school in relation to its interim requirement pending the delivery of its new school building which it will be moving to delivery as quickly as possible.

In the Hollywoodsrath area, the Department has requested a site reservation for primary education under the local authority's area development planning process.

It is intended to deliver a new school there commensurate with the delivery of housing developments.

Further site reservations will be requested by the Department as the local authority develops out further plans for the general area. These too will be acquired and developed in line with demand.

At post primary level, I have given the go-ahead for the delivery of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school in Phibblestown, Dublin 15.

This new school will be delivered along with new schools in Donabate and Laytown under a design and build contract that is aimed at delivering 3,000 school places for these rapidly developing areas. The inclusion of these three projects in one bundle will further facilitate the achievement of value for money.

The procurement process is well advanced for a Design Team to do the initial design of these 3 new schools. Thereafter, a Design and Build contractor will be appointed to complete the designs and build the new schools. The Department is working with the relevant parties on the delivery of these projects within the earliest possible timeframe.

At post primary level in Castleknock, the need for an additional school is being examined.

With regard to the general situation, the practice has emerged in recent years of parents enrolling their children in more than one school. This has the result of inflating the number of children apparently seeking places and creates a difficulty in determining the true number of places required. The Department will monitor the situation closely, as it did in 2006, and liaise with school principals in the area to ensure that all eligible pupils seeking places for 2007 will have access to them.

In relation to the location of sites being developed by the Department, I have arranged for this information to be forwarded to Deputy Burton separately. Due to the commercial sensitivities attaching to site acquisition, the Department does not comment on site costs.

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