Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 528: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will confirm the receipt by his Department of an application for a new school by a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath; his views on the detailed submission made in the application; if the application will be viewed favourably; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13391/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. Officials from my Department recently met with a representative of the school to discuss its accommodation needs and is aware that the school has secured a four acre site for the provision of a new school.

The school were advised that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is currently identifying the areas throughout the country where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post primary level in the medium to long term. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolment, recent and planned housing developments and capacity of existing schools to meet demand for places. The accommodation needs at the school referred to by the Deputy will be considered both within this context and in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.