Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she will form a task force to examine the accommodation shortfall for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6147/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans to establish a taskforce on school accommodation needs. As the Deputy will be aware the Programme for Government commits my Department to establishing a Developing Areas Unit to liaise with Local Authorities, to identify where new schools are needed and to ensure that these schools are delivered in the fastest possible timeframe. Initial work on establishing and assigning dedicated staff to the Unit began in the latter part of 2007 and it is now fully operational. In terms of its work programme for 2008, the Developing Areas Unit is advancing the delivery of 30 new primary schools which are planned to be in place for September 2008. These projects are being delivered in areas which have been identified as areas of rapid population growth. I announced the details of the individual projects recently. To deliver its 2008 programme, the Developing Areas Unit has been working closely with relevant Local Authorities on the acquisition of sites and on general pre-planning issues. Project Managers, together with architectural, engineering and quantity surveying services were recruited from the private sector in October 2007 to prepare the planning applications, undertake the necessary surveys and oversee the delivery of the schools on each site. Sites for each of the projects have been identified and site master-plans have been developed by the technical teams.

An EU tendering process to establish a drawdown contract for the off-site construction of permanent and temporary accommodation had a closing date of 2 January 2008 and has now been completed. Planning Applications have been lodged for virtually all of the schools. The successful tenderers for the construction of each individual project have been notified and the programme is on target. When taken with a number of other projects in developing areas involving extensions to existing schools, approximately 9,000 additional school places will be provided for September 2008. In the meantime, the Forward Planning Section of the Department is identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be needed for 2009 and onwards. This is also being done in close consultation with local authorities. The Forward Planning Section's findings will likewise feed into the Developing Areas Unit for delivery. My Department is satisfied that the approach which it is now taking to the identification and delivery of extra school places in rapidly developing areas will ensure that those places will be provided when and where they are needed.