Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 842: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of places at primary level education being provided in north Dublin; the number of places at secondary level education being provided in north Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10001/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. In this draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, the Department has set out its recommendations for the North Dublin area.

The Commission on School accommodation has commenced a public consultation process on the draft document. Interested parties can participate in this process by either forwarding written submissions and/or by making oral presentations to the Commission. Arrangements will be made to hear oral presentations locally. The first series is expected to start on Monday 26th March 2007.

The consultation process will culminate in a final infrastructural Plan which will become the framework against which capital investment for the area will be made for the foreseeable future.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 843: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of secondary schools in north Dublin; the number of primary schools that fall into the catchment areas for each of these secondary schools; the number of places available at each of the secondary schools in north Dublin; the number of places available at each of the primary schools that fall into the catchment areas for each of these secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10002/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The information is not readily available in the format which the Deputy has requested.

However, I wish to advise that the Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. The Deputy may find much of the information he requires in this document.

In this draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, the Department has set out its recommendations for the North Dublin area.

The Commission on School accommodation has commenced a public consultation process on the draft document. Interested parties can participate in this process by either forwarding written submissions and/or by making oral presentations to the Commission. Arrangements will be made to hear oral presentations locally. The first series is expected to start on Monday 26th March 2007.

The consultation process will culminate in a final infrastructural Plan which will become the framework against which capital investment for the area will be made for the foreseeable future.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 844: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the extreme capacity problems with regard to the provision of secondary level education in north Dublin; if her attention has further been drawn to the particular case of a school (details supplied) which serves seven primary schools and has an extremely small number of places for September 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10003/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department's main responsibility in this regard is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking second level places. This may result in pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

Swords is an area of population growth and while there may be a demand in future years for additional provision at postprimary level, the Department is satisfied that, between them, the four existing postprimary schools have adequate provision to cater for current demand.

The Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. In this draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, the Department has set out its recommendations for the Swords area.

The Commission on School accommodation has commenced a public consultation process on the draft document. Interested parties can participate in this process by either forwarding written submissions and/or by making oral presentations to the Commission. Arrangements will be made to hear oral presentations locally. The first series is expected to start on Monday 26th March 2007.

The consultation process will culminate in a final infrastructural Plan which will become the framework against which capital investment for the area will be made for the foreseeable future.

The school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for Major Capital funding. The application, which is for ancillary accommodation and not to increase the capacity of the school, has been assessed in accordance with the prioritisation criteria which have been agreed with the education partners and will be considered in the context of the overall educational plan for the Swords area.

Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 845: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the plans her Department has for the provision of a new secondary school for Navan, County Meath in view of the growing population rate; if she will report on any assessment by her Department for same to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10004/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is in regular communication with officials in Meath County Council in relation to proposed housing developments for Navan and the consequential educational requirements that may be necessary for the future at both primary and post-primary level.

The Navan Development Plan 2003-2009 identified 5 areas in Navan as being suitable for the preparation of Local Area Plans and the Department will be reserving sites at both primary and post-primary level as part of these Local Area Plans.

At present only Local Area Plan No. 3 has been published. The Department is included among the prescribed authorities to whom local authorities are statutorily obliged to send draft development plans or proposed variations to development plans for comment. As a matter of course meetings are arranged with local authorities to establish the location, scale and pace of major proposed developments and sites are reserved, where necessary, to ensure as far as possible the timely delivery of any required education infrastructure.

At present Navan is served by 4 post-primary schools and one of these was recently approved funding for the provision of two further classrooms to cater for its immediate needs. The Department will continue to monitor the need for the provision of a further secondary school in Navan in the future.