Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the provision of both a primary and secondary school at Castlelands in Balbriggan; if her Department has entered into negotiations with Fingal County Council for land; the proposed size of both schools; when the project is due to commence and finish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28063/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department been working for some time with Fingal County Council on the acquisition of sites to enable new schools to open throughout its area of functionality in 2008. The ability of the Department to open these schools next September is contingent on the sites being acquired very soon. The Department is encouraged by the Council's recent positive statement in relation to the progress being made in this regard. The schools themselves will be provided in areas to meet the needs arising from the local authority's own County Development Plan and it's various Local Area Development Plans.

The Deputy will appreciate that due to commercial sensitivities, I cannot comment on specific sites at this time, however, I can assure the Deputy that the Department will continue to work very closely with Fingal County Council to meet the needs of the Fingal area for next year and beyond.