Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1083: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she expects each of the schools, primary and post-primary at Maynooth, County Kildare to be in a position to meet the population requirements for the future; if she has discussed the situation with the relevant schools authorities with a view to ensuring ready access to adequate school places at both primary and second level for the foreseeable future; if she has an integrated plan in mind in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2742/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that many areas located within close proximity to Dublin, including Maynooth, continue to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. To proactively plan for such areas of increased growth my 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 any major proposed developments and their possible implications for school provision so as to ensure as far as possible the timely delivery of the required education infrastructure. Discussions also take place with existing schools if and when appropriate.

In Maynooth, the Department has already made significant interventions including the provision at primary level of a new 16 classroom school for Scoil Uí Fhiaich, an extension to the Presentation Convent primary school to bring capacity to 24 classrooms and the planned extension to Maynooth Boys primary school to also bring this up to a 24 classroom facility.

At post-primary level a building project was completed in 2007 to bring the capacity of the existing school up to 800 pupil places. Further plans are in train to extend the school further to cater for a long-term enrolment of 1,000 pupils.

The Department is currently working to ensure that there will be sufficient places available for eligible pupils in the area for 2008 and beyond.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1084: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she expects each of the schools, primary and post-primary at Celbridge, County Kildare to be in a position to meet the population requirements for the future; if she has discussed the situation with the relevant schools authorities with a view to ensuring ready access to adequate school places at both primary and second level for the foreseeable future; if she has an integrated plan in mind in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2743/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In response to the need for additional primary school places in Celbridge, the Department recognised a new primary school which commenced operation this September. The schools initial intake was 79 pupils. The school is located in temporary accommodation, the refurbishment of which was funded by the Department to ensure that it was suitable for school use. Site identification and acquisition procedures are on-going for a permanent home for the school. It is intended that the site will also facilitate the development of a post primary school. The Deputy will probably be aware that under the Area Development Plan for the N4/M4 corridor published by the Commission on School accommodation, provision of a new post primary school for Celbridge is recommended post 2011.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1085: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she expects each of the schools, primary and post-primary at Naas, County Kildare to be in a position to meet the population requirements for the future; if she has discussed the situation with the relevant schools authorities with a view to ensuring ready access to adequate school places at both primary and second level for the foreseeable future; if she has an integrated plan in mind in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2744/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that many areas located within close proximity to Dublin, including Naas, continue to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. To proactively plan for such areas of increased growth my 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 any major proposed developments and their possible implications for school provision so as to ensure as far as possible the timely delivery of the required education infrastructure. Discussions also take place with existing schools if and when appropriate.

In Naas the Department has already made significant interventions in recent years including the provision of 2 new primary schools and the significant expansion of existing post primary schools. The Department is currently working to ensure that there will be sufficient primary places available in 2008 for all eligible pupils and plans are also progressing for a new 1,000 pupil post primary school and for a 16 classroom school for the Gaelscoil. As with all areas experiencing growth, the Department will continue to keep the situation under review.