Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 383: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the projected growth in primary school enrolment between 2008/09 and 2014 in the following areas in Dublin 15 including Blanchardstown west, Carpenterstown, Castleknock and Blanchardstown east; the number of additional classrooms that will be required to meet this expected increase in enrolment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16461/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South 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 with reference 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 identified locations across the country based on significant changes to the demographics of those areas.

Forward Planning Section is in the process of carrying out detailed analysis and reports for each of these locations in order to identify the school accommodation requirements for each area up to and including the school year 2014/2015. Educational accommodation requirements in the Blanchardstown West, Carpenterstown and Blanchardstown East areas have been considered in this regard and Forward Planning Section projects that accommodation will be required to cater for a total enrolment of up to 10,586 pupils for these areas by the year 2014, with a requirement for in the region of 116 additional classrooms, over and above existing accommodation.

When the required reports have been completed for the initial areas Forward Planning Section will continue to work on preparing reports on a priority basis for the remainder of the country. Overall accommodation requirements in the Castleknock area will be analysed as part of this process. Any proposed building projects required arising from Forward Planning Section's analysis will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme for 2010 and subsequent years.