Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the measures she is taking to increase secondary school places in an area (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7229/07]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 488: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will confirm that there is adequate second level school capacity available in the Lucan area to meet local demand for school places over the next 10 year period in view of the significant number of additional primary school places that have been provided in the Lucan area over the past few years. [7280/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 488 together.

I am conscious of the fact that Lucan is one of the fastest growing areas in the Country. In light of this, the Department has expanded capacity significantly at both primary and post primary level to cater for existing and newly emerging demands for pupil places. With regard to post primary capacity specifically, a new school for Coláiste Cois Life was recently completed. This will provide places for 600 pupils, some 400 additional places relative to its then existing capacity.

In addition to this, capacity at Coláiste Phádraig was increased by 300 pupil places with the completion of a major extension project at that school. A further extension project at St. Joseph's College to provide an overall capacity of 725 pupil places has also been completed. This is deemed sufficient to meet demand from pupils in its catchment area. In addition, Lucan Community College is to receive a design team shortly to provide additional accommodation to increase its overall capacity to 1000 pupils.

The Deputy will probably be aware that there is considerable vacant capacity at post primary level in areas adjacent to Lucan. Given that it is practice, particularly in Dublin, for post-primary students to travel some distance to attend a post-primary school, it is not unreasonable that the Department should seek to optimise the use of existing surplus capacity at post-primary schools in the general vicinity of Lucan as part of its strategy to address any shortfall for post-primary places that may emerge.

The Department will continue to monitor the situation in Lucan to ensure that any future emerging needs are addressed in a timely manner.