Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 355: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if it is policy to contact schools directly which his Department anticipates will require expansion and development; if so, the mechanism and the format of contact that is utilised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32052/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. This study has been conducted using data from the Central Statistics Office, the General Register Office and the Department of Social & Family Affairs in addition to recent schools' enrolment data.

The study indicates that the requirement for additional primary provision in years 2010, 2011 and 2012 is likely to be greatest in more than 40 selected locations across the country based on significant changes to the demographics of those areas.

Consistent with the primacy of the role of the Patron under the Education Act, 1998, this information has been circulated in writing to all existing school Patrons as part of the process of determining where existing schools should be expanded and new schools provided. The responses of the Patrons will be taken into account in finalising the extent and nature of school accommodation provision in the relevant areas.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the range of factors, other than the priority band rating, for school projects which determine the prioritisation and selection of school projects which are sanctioned by him to proceed for design and construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32054/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The progression of school building projects, whether to commence architectural planning or to proceed to tender and construction, is undertaken with regard to the availability of funding and the priority attaching to projects.

Priority is established primarily on the basis of a projects' band-rating in accordance with the Criteria for Prioritising Large Scale Projects, details of which are published on my Department's website. However, there a range of other factors taken into account in the selection of projects. These factors include: the need to achieve an appropriate balance of capital expenditure on a multi-annual basis between primary and post-primary building projects the need to ensure that contractual commitments are not entered into in any particular year which might not be capable of being met in future years the need to ensure adequate funding is available for the purchase of sites for key projects the need to provide additional school places in rapidly developing areas to meet increasing demand while at the same time balancing this with the need to maintain investment in the improvement of existing school buildings. the stage of progression through the architectural design process, that is whether or not the project is technically ready to proceed to tender and construction whether the project was previously allowed to proceed to tender but did not do so for various reasons All of these factors have to be considered before making a final selection of projects for the purposes of developing a school building programme.