Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 586: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her Department's plans for the expansion of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin to 16 classrooms; the consultations that have taken place with the board of management, the patron body and the parents association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5344/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for major capital works from the Board of Management of the school to which the Deputy refers.

The school initially applied for devolved funding for 3 permanent classrooms under the Departments Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2005 and was approved for funding under the scheme in February 2005. The school later withdrew their application and it was agreed that the project would be progressed via the traditional method. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that an architectural design team was appointed to the project it is currently at stage 3 in the architectural planning process.

Scoil Mhuire will be a 24 classroom school once the extension has been completed.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 587: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if preliminary discussions have been held with officials from South Dublin County Council regarding the traffic implications of an additional eight classrooms at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; if discussions will be held to ensure that proper safety measures are put in place by the council to deal with such an expansion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5345/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The refurbishment and extension project at the School referred to by the Deputy and is at an early stage of architectural planning. The brief for the project has been recently revised to a sixteen classroom extension. The Design Team are currently preparing a Stage 1/2 submission (Site suitability, outline sketch scheme) based on this revised brief.

I understand that preliminary discussions have taken place between the Design Team and the Local Authority regarding traffic management measures as part of the Stage 1/2 preparation on the original brief of an eight classroom extension. It is intended, following the revision of the brief for this project, that the Design Team will hold further discussions with the Local Authority regarding the traffic implications. An Garda Síochána will also be consulted on this issue.

In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures. My Department is prepared to consider applications from school authorities for grant-aid towards improving safety arrangements, including car parking, inside the vested area of the school, but would require that the integrity of the outdoor play area be safeguarded in so far as is possible.

Issues relating to traffic safety, pay car parking etc., outside of school grounds are the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority. Grant-aid is not available for works outside the vested area of the school.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 588: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of school sites sanctioned at Adamstown, Lucan; the proposed timeframe for the opening of all of these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5346/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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6 primary schools and one Post-Primary school are planned, on a phased basis, for the Adamstown Strategic Development Zone (SDZ). Two primary schools are currently under construction and are due to be completed in September and December 2007. In addition, I recently included the post-primary school on the latest list of projects to proceed to tender and construction and it is planned that the school will be ready for occupation by September 2009.

The remaining 4 primary schools will be built according to the need for school places within the SDZ as the housing developments progress.