Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the provision of primary and secondary schools in Dublin 15; the provision she has made in recent years to meet the need for school places; the management structures she has put in place for various schools; her immediate plans in terms of acquiring sites for schools and constructing schools to meet immediate demand; and the management structures she will put in place for planned schools. [7379/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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At the outset, I want to assure you that the Department of Education and Science is fully aware of the rapidly developing nature of the Dublin 15 area. As you may be aware, the recent Census preliminary figures confirm the Fingal area of Dublin as the fastest growing area in the country. Significant further investment will be required there over the coming years. The challenge is to provide schools in line with or ahead of demand for pupil places.

To date, considerable interventions have already been made by the Department to increase pupil places in Dublin 15 and these interventions are being backed up by a significant construction programme including in this regard, phase two of the building project at Mary Mother of Hope N.S., Littlepace was delivered ahead of schedule for September 2007. This has provided a new 16 classroom facility for the area. I would like to point out that this school will also have the benefit of enhanced shared community facilities under an arrangement with Fingal County Council.

In addition, plans are being advanced to provide a new school for Castaheany Educate Together and St. Benedict's National School on a site in Ongar. The development of this site will provide a total of 40 classrooms to cater for up to 1,000 primary pupils and also benefit from enhanced shared community facilities.

Other developments in the Dublin 15 area at primary level include the planned expansion of St. Brigid's National School in Castleknock, and extensions to St. Brigid's Boys and Girls National Schools, in Blanchardstown. Design teams have been appointed for both of these projects.

The Board of Management of St. Mochta's National School, agreed to expand its school to enable a four-stream intake from September 2006. The extension project for this school as well as one for St Patrick's Junior and Senior Schools, Corduff were also included on the 2007 list of schools for the appointment of design teams. In addition, a new school, Scoil Choilm was established for September 2007 under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin to cater for the increasing demand for school places.

The Department is acquiring a site in Tyrrelstown to provide permanent accommodation for Tyrrelstown Educate Together NS and Mulhuddart National school which expanded provision to take account of the expanding parish boundaries on foot of housing development in Tyrrelstown. In the Hollywoodsrath area, the Department has requested a site reservation under the local authority's area development planning process.

There are six post primary schools currently serving the Dublin 15 area and in September 2008 a new Community College under the patronage of Co. Dublin VEC will open in Phibblestown. These schools will, between them, have capacity for first year enrolment in the region of 1,050.

The Deputy will be aware that the Department is advancing plans to make considerable extra post primary provision available in the Dublin 15 area. This includes three 1,000 pupils post primary schools to be developed in Phibblestown, Tyrrelstown and Hansfield. In addition, the Department is examining site possibilities for a further new post primary school in Dublin 15 with the local authority.

Furthermore, the Department is working closely with Fingal County Council in relation to a number of sites to be acquired under the Fingal School Model Agreement for educational provision in the Dublin 15 area for 2008 and onwards.

In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that site acquisitions, can be commercially sensitive and for this reason, my Department does not as a general rule provide specific details in advance of contracts being signed. Of course, once the contracts have been signed, this information can be released in the normal way.

The Deputy will also be aware that, in December 2007, I announced that a new State model of community national school, under the patronage of County Dublin Vocational Education Committee (VEC) is to be piloted from September 2008 in three locations including the Phoenix Park and Phibblestown, Dublin 15.

In relation to the third school referred to in my announcement of December 2007, Scoil Choilm in Diswellstown it was envisaged that this would transition to the new model after a two-year period. This school had been opened in September 2007 under the temporary patronage of the Catholic Archbishop in response to an emerging need that had presented at that time. Following further recent consultations with the school community, the temporary patron and County Dublin VEC, it has now been agreed that the school in question should come under the new pilot patronage model arrangements from this coming September 2008. The position in relation to the possible inclusion of any further schools under the new model in September 2008 is currently being examined in the context of the identified need for new schools in particular areas and a review of expressions of interest received from established patron bodies to open schools in these locations.

The new model has been developed following a period of consultation with all of the main education partners and church groups. As in the primary school system generally, the schools will operate under the management of an independent Board of Management. The VEC will be represented on the Board of Management, as patron, and will provide relevant practical management supports to the school. Arrangements will also be in place to enable the VEC to meet its general financial accountability responsibilities. I also indicated that I would be bringing proposals to Government to provide necessary amending legislation to underpin the VEC role in the primary sector. Pending the enactment of the legislation, I, as Minister for Education and Science, will act as interim patron for the new schools.