Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 906: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if in view of the demand for secondary school places in the Dublin 15 area she will instruct or give permission to the County Dublin Vocational Educational Committee to initiate the proposed secondary school at Phibblestown; if she will appoint or instruct the VEC to appoint a board of management and a principal and have the school commenced for September 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14951/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to providing a permanent building for the new post-primary school in Phibblestown as soon as possible. The school will be delivered along with new schools in Donabate, Co Dublin and Laytown, Co. Meath under a design and build contract that is aimed at delivering 3,000 school places for these rapidly developing areas. The Department has appointed a Project Manager to oversee the delivery of these projects. 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 closely with County Dublin Vocational Education Committee on the delivery of the Phibblestown project. Assuming there are no delays during the design and planning permission phases, it is envisaged that the school will be completed as close as possible to the 2009/2010 school year. The provision of temporary accommodation to enable the school to open at an earlier date is currently under consideration.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 907: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she proposes to initiate a new primary school for the Luttrelstown-Diswellstown-Clonsilla area in view of the number of children without school places for the area; if the school will be a further parish school or if the school will be under the patronage of the County Dublin Vocational Educational Committee as previously suggested in press statements by her; the location where the school will be located on a temporary and on a permanent basis; when enrolments for the school will commence; when parents will be advised on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the primary school places crisis for this area in Dublin 15. [14952/07]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 912: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the vocational educational committee sponsored primary school recently flagged for Dublin 15 will open in a temporary site in September 2007 in view of the crisis of children excluded from starting school in many primary schools in Dublin 15. [14972/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 907 and 912 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, last February I announced a new additional model of primary school patronage which will be introduced, on a pilot basis in September 2008, in Diswellstown, Dublin 15. This school will operate under the administrative framework of the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee. The Department has commenced a process of consultation with the relevant education partners to explore the detailed implementation measures that will need to be put in place prior to the opening of the new school. A location for the new school is under consideration.

I am conscious that there is considerable pressure for school places in the Dublin 15 area in general. Adding to this pressure is the fact that a number of parents have enrolled their children in more than one school. This has the result of inflating the number of children apparently seeking places. Officials in the School Planning Section of the Department are liaising with school principals in the area with a view to ensuring that all eligible pupils seeking places for 2007 will have access to them.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 908: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the discussion her Department has had with the Dublin archdiocese of the Catholic Church and the County Dublin Vocational Educational Committee with regard to providing additional school accommodation and schools for the Dublin 15 area at primary and secondary area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14953/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The recognition of new primary schools is a matter for the New Schools Advisory Committee. It is open to any patron body to apply for the recognition of a new school through this body. Details of the application procedure and recognition criteria are available on the Department's website.

As the Deputy will be aware, last February I announced a new additional model of primary school patronage which will be introduced, on a pilot basis in September 2008, in Diswellstown, Dublin 15. This school will operate under the administrative framework of the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee. The Department has commenced a process of consultation with the relevant education partners to explore the detailed implementation measures that will need to be put in place prior to the opening of the new school. A location for the new school is under consideration.

As the Deputy will also be aware, I have given the go-ahead for the delivery of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school in Phibblestown area of Dublin 15. The VEC applied for and received approval to act as Patron of this school. In the Tyrrelstown area of Dublin 15 the Department has reserved a site for a further post primary school and it is examining site possibilities for a new post primary school in the Castleknock area with the local authority. The educational reservation in the Hansfield SDZ allows for the development of a post primary school for up to 1,000 pupils. The Patronage of these schools will be decided at the appropriate time.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 909: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the provision of a new school at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14958/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers was included in a recent announcement of 56 large scale building projects countrywide which have been approved to progress under the School Building and Modernisation Programme. These will be progressed by way of the appointment of a design team.