Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 426: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will support the case of a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [19694/09]

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 the 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.