Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 1769: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the work being carried out in the developing areas unit to progress further schools in the Lucan area, in particular to outline planned openings for the next two years in Clonburris and Adamstown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31081/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has provided significant additional capacity at primary level in the Lucan area with the opening in September, 2008 of the new 8 classroom primary school in Clonburris. The long term plan for this school is the provision of a 16 classroom school and appropriate ancillary space as per Department guidelines. Based on current demographic trends, my Department anticipates that there will be a need for a further post-primary school in Lucan in the medium term and it has asked South Dublin County Council to identify a site for this development. A timeframe for the delivery of the school will be known when a suitable site has been identified and acquired. The local authority has a number of Local Area Plans in train and it is likely that the Department will be able to secure a site under this process.

My Department is conscious of the lead-in period for the delivery of a post-primary school and it would be anxious to conclude the site issue as soon as possible. It will continue to engage with the local authority until this matter is resolved. My Department will also be making a post primary school available in the Adamstown SDZ which is adjacent to Lucan. This school building is planned to come on steam for the 2009/10 school year. This new post-primary school will operate under the patronage of County Dublin VEC and will cater for 1,000 pupils. Further school provision will be provided as the need arises in the Lucan area.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 1770: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the thought processes that existed which led to a school (details supplied), set up on an emergency basis to cater for students in south Lucan, being left without permanent accommodation, while it was effectively leapfrogged by another school in Clonburris; his views on whether both schools are in effect serving the same catchment area; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the first school will only have one more year in its current location, where it is adding to traffic congestion by being located a good distance away from its core population area; if it will be provided with another Clonburris site as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31082/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has received correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy on the extent of the school's catchment area. The need for a site for the school in question has been determined. A suitable site will be sourced in the wider Lucan area taking cognisance of the school's catchment area and the needs in Lucan generally. The acquisition of the site for the school will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally. In light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the acquisition of the school site at this time.