Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on the shortage of second level school places in Balbriggan; if she will provide an assurance that pupils leaving feeder primary schools will have school places in September 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4744/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware Fingal is one of the most rapidly expanding areas in the country, with Balbriggan in particular experiencing huge population growth. The Commission on School Accommodation recommended that the Department monitor post primary education provision in the area closely, to ensure that the requisite number of places be provided in a timely manner and in line with housing developments. To this end the Department is currently in the process of acquiring a site under the Fingal School Model Agreement, for the provision of education facilities. This site, located at Castlelands, will, in the long term, provide two sixteen classroom primary schools and a one thousand pupil post primary school subject to conclusion of the legalities surrounding site acquisition and planning permission thereafter.

There are currently two post primary schools serving the Balbriggan area. Both of these schools have applied for extensions, one of which is at the advanced stages of architectural planning. These projects will be considered in the context of the multi annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.