Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she will announce the next group of post primary schools to proceed to design stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15996/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in rapidly developing areas as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country.

On the 1st February last I announced the first phase of projects that will commence construction during 2008 and 2009. My announcement included details of the 18 large-scale building projects approved for construction and a further 30 primary school projects in rapidly developing areas. Details of the projects approved can be viewed under the Press Release section of my Department's website at www.education.ie.

This is the first phase of projects that will commence construction during 2008 and 2009. It is my intention to make a further announcement shortly to allow a further batch of schools to progress and to update progress on the new schools planned for September 2008 delivery in developing areas.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on the building of a permanent school in Applewood, Swords; if her Department agreed to take up the offer of a site there; the stage it is at; when planning permission will be lodged for a permanent school rather than a prefabricated school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15999/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Developing Areas Unit in the Department of Education and Science, dedicated solely to progressing school planning in rapidly developing areas, building on improvements that have already been made in recent years.

This recently established Developing Areas Unit, in conjunction with Fingal County Council has been working to identify and acquire sites, under the Fingal School Model, for rapidly growing areas, including Swords.

Two sites have been identified in Applewood, Swords for primary school provision and both sites are being acquired under the Fingal School Model Agreement.

Planning permission on the 3 acre site at Thornleigh Avenue has been granted and phase one will see the delivery of the first 8 classrooms and ancillary rooms to be delivered for September 2008. This new school when fully delivered will comprise 24 mainstream classrooms, appropriate ancillary space in addition to an enhanced community facility.

In relation to the 2nd permanent site in Applewood, the Department have arrangements in train to remove the existing temporary accommodation on the site and are considering the options for delivering the permanent accommodation for two existing schools currently accommodated in temporary accommodation.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the proposed new Skerries school in Kelly's Bay will open in September 2008 as promised by her Department; if her Department has paid for the site and taken it into the ownership; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16000/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Developing Areas Unit in the Department of Education and Science, dedicated solely to progressing school planning in rapidly developing areas, building on improvements that have already been made in recent years.

This recently established Developing Areas Unit, in conjunction with Fingal County Council has been working to identify and acquire sites, under the Fingal School Model, for rapidly growing areas, including Skerries.

The reserved site at Kelly's Bay is being acquired under the Fingal School Model Agreement and the Department is in receipt of planning permission to provide a new school on this site. Phase one of this project will see the delivery of a new off-site constructed 8 classroom school with appropriate ancillary rooms which will be delivered (subject to finalisation of legalities surrounding site acquisition) for September 2008. The Department intends to provide on full delivery of the project 16 mainstream classrooms, appropriate ancillary space, Special Needs Unit and enhanced community facility.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the protocol agreed with Fingal County Council known as the Fingal School Project is being implemented in full as agreed between her Department and Fingal County Council; if her Department honoured its agreement to pay an amount of 50% of any savings that Fingal County Council achieved on the acquisition of school sites to Fingal County Council in order that the council could invest those moneys in school and community amenity facilities as agreed in the Fingal School Project; the amount that has been made available by her Department for such facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16001/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Fingal School Model is an agreement reached with Fingal County Council and is a partnership approach to fast-track the delivery of schools and community facilities throughout the Fingal Area. The intention is that the agreed approach will match the rapid pace of housing development in the area with the delivery of schools while at the same time providing important facilities for community use.

For the development of schools, the Fingal Local Authority will make land in its ownership available at a reduced cost to the DES; negotiate the purchase of lands from developers at a reduced cost and in return, the DES will invest part of the savings achieved in enhanced sports/community facilities which will also be funded by the County Council.

Where Fingal County Council succeeds in delivering sites for schools at favourable terms, the Department undertakes to purchase the site and proceed to construction of the permanent school building in accordance with a timetable to be agreed.

Where land for school building purposes has been acquired by the Council on behalf of the Department from a developer/landowner the amount to be re-invested in enhanced shared school/community facilities shall be calculated at 50% of the difference between the accepted market value of the lands and the actual purchase price at the time of an agreed valuation.

Where land being transferred for school building purposes has been in the Council's ownership for 5 years or more, the percentage re-investment in enhanced shared school/community facilities shall be calculated at 40% of the savings on land acquisition at the time of an agreed valuation.

The Council will not impose any additional charges for administration or other costs.

A mutually agreed Valuer will be assigned to advise on appropriate valuations on a site-by-site basis.

To date, Fingal County Council has completed the transferred two sites into the legal ownership of the Department. The Department has met its full commitments under the agreement in relation to these sites. Fingal County Council has acquired a further number of sites on which it is intended to deliver new schools for September 2008. The legal transfer of ownership is proceeding in relation to these sites and the Department will make its contribution at the appropriate time. In this context, senior officials of the Department recently met with Fingal County Council with a view to expediting these transfer, under the terms of the agreement.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the schools her Department has promised in Fingal will be built and open in September 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16002/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Developing Areas Unit in the Department of Education and Science, dedicated solely to progressing school planning in rapidly developing areas, building on improvements that have already been made in recent years.

This recently established Developing Areas Unit, in conjunction with Fingal County Council has been working to identify and acquire sites, under the Fingal School Model, for rapidly growing areas.

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 area for 2008 and onwards.

The Department has lodged planning applications in a number of areas in Fingal for new schools for delivery in 2008 and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that final grant of planning permission for all sites being progressed has been granted and it is envisaged, subject to finalisation of legalities surrounding site acquisitions, that all of the proposed schools will be delivered for September 2008.