Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a new contract has been signed for the completion of the new school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and the details of same including timeframe for completion and so on. [2591/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers is currently out to tender. It is anticipated that the project will be back on site before Easter.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Education and Science in view of the review by his forward planning section, his views on the fact that a new national school is required in the town of Naas, County Kildare for September 2010; and if so, the progress or work that is under way to achieve this aim. [2594/10]

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 and 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.

Following from this detailed analysis it appears prudent to plan for the establishment of new schools to commence operation in September 2010 to meet increasing demand in nine identified areas. Naas has been identified as one of these areas.

This information has been circulated to all existing school patrons who have been invited to bring forward proposals for the expansion of existing schools or indeed to put themselves forward as Patron for any new primary school, should it be required. The requirement for the establishment of new schools will of course be lessened where it is possible to expand and extend existing schools in those areas.

The progression of all large scale building projects will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the time elapsed to date since application for permanent classroom facilities was deemed required at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the number of school places currently required there; the schedule for meeting these requirements in terms of permanent structures and facilities; the number of schools here at which the requirements have been met in the period referred to; the number of school places accommodated in course thereof; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2615/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the board of management was recently authorised to proceed to tender. When the tender process is complete and assuming there are no issues arising, the project will progress to construction.

With regard to the ancillary information requested by the Deputy I can confirm that the brief for the project is for a new 16 classroom school, a permanent site was acquired by the school authorities in 2005 and the project commenced architectural planning in 2006.

The statistics (for large scale projects) on "the number of schools in the country where the requirements of which have been met in the period referred to" are as follows;

2009 – 33 completions

2008 – 95 completions

2007 – 60 completions

2006 – 60 completions

2005 – 110 completions