Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will advise in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare regarding the expansion of their facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13613/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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An application for capital funding has been received from the Board of Management of the school in question and is being assessed by the School Planning and Building Unit within my Department.

As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including Naas. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country.

In this context, the status of all schools in Naas is being assessed as part of an overall delivery plan, which is currently being formulated within the Developing Areas Unit. The school referred to will be included in this assessment. As is the case with all large capital projects currently on hand within the Unit, their progression will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.