James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 313: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a new primary school will be provided in Balbriggan, County Dublin; when a new secondary school will be provided in Skerries, Balbriggan, Swords and Lusk, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18153/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department is aware that there are extensive housing developments and population increases in the Swords, Skerries, Balbriggan and Lusk areas of Fingal and that this has led to increased demand for school places.

Earlier this year, the Department published a Draft Area Development Plan setting out infrastructural requirements for the foreseeable future for the north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth areas. This Plan covers the areas referred to by the Deputy.

The Commission on School Accommodation has completed a public consultation process on the Draft Plan and it is currently consulting with both Local Authorities and school authorities. It is the Commission's intention to complete and publish a final plan by late Summer. When this is published, it will become the framework against which capital investment for the areas concerned will be made for the foreseeable future. The Draft Plan shows that considerable interventions have already been made by the Department to increase pupil places in the areas concerned and that these interventions are being backed up by a significant capital investment programme.

For example, at primary level in Swords, the Department is providing three new school buildings for Swords Educate Together NS, Gaelscoil Brian Boroimhe and Gaelscoil an Duinninigh. An extension is also being provided at St. Cronan's Senior NS, Brackenstown. The Department has reserved three further sites in Swords for primary provision and is moving to acquire two of these sites immediately. In Balbriggin, the Department granted recognition to Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín, which commenced operation last year.

In addition, St. Teresa's NS, Balbriggan is included among the schools recently given approval for the appointment of a design team to progress an extension project.

The Department has also recently advertised for a Design Team for the construction of two brand new 16 classroom schools in Balbriggan. One of these will provide a permanent school building for Balbriggan Educate Together N.S. The patronage and management of the second school has yet to be determined. There are a further two sites reserved in Balbriggan for primary school purposes and the Department will move to acquire and develop these as the need arises.

At post primary level in Balbriggin, a new 1,000 pupil post primary school is being delivered under the Department's expanded Public Private Partnership process. In Rush and Lusk approval was recently given to Lusk NS, St. Catherine's NS, Kenure, and Rush N.S., to appoint design teams to progress extension projects. Two sites have been reserved for further primary provision in Lusk, one of which is currently being acquired under the Fingal School Model process for the purposes of accommodating the Rush/Lusk Educate Together N.S.

In Rush itself a site has also been reserved for primary school development. In Skerries, the Department has reserved two sites for educational provision, one of which is currently being acquired under the Fingal School Model process to accommodate a new primary school to commence operation in September 2008 and to permanently accommodate St. Micheal's House Special School. The totality of these interventions demonstrates both the awareness of the Department of the requirements of the areas concerned and its willingness to address these needs on an on-going basis.