Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Department of Education and Science

School Accommodation

10:00 am

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 687: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 4 March, 2010 the progress the forward planning section of her Department has made in its detailed analysis of primary school accommodation requirements at 40 locations; if Middleton and the east Cork area is one of these locations and if so, if it has completed its analysis of this area; the conclusions that have been drawn by her Department in relation to primary school provision up to 2015 in the Middleton and east Cork area; the action she will take as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30209/10]

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 688: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 4 March 2010 if the forward planning section of her Department has completed its detailed analysis of primary school accommodation requirements at 40 locations; if Midleton and east Cork area are one of these locations; if the more detailed analysis of post primary school accommodation has been completed for Midleton and the east Cork area; the conclusions that have been drawn by her Department in relation to primary school provision in this area up to 2015; the action she will take as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30210/10]

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 689: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 1 December 2009, the further progress that has been made by her Department in the analysis of the requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary in Middleton, Carrigtwohill and the east Cork area due to significant changes to demographics in these areas; the number of new classrooms which she envisages will be needed to meet additional primary demand in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively; if she can advise the expected additional secondary accommodation requirements for each of these years respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30211/10]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 687 to 689, inclusive, together.

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 Protection and with reference to recent schools' enrolment data. Given the increase in the birth rate in recent years the initial focus of this analysis has been on primary school accommodation requirements. This will be followed by a more detailed analysis of post-primary school accommodation requirements. The study indicates that the requirement for additional primary provision in the short to medium term 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 initial identified areas in order to identify school accommodation requirements for each area up to and including the school year 2014/15. School accommodation requirements in the Midleton/ Carrigtwohill area have been considered as part of this detailed study of the identified areas, which indicates that up 38 additional primary classrooms may be required across that area to cater for increased enrolments up to the school year 2014/15. When the required reports have been completed for all the initial identified areas Forward Planning Section will continue to work on preparing reports on a priority basis for the remainder of the country. School accommodation requirements in the remainder of the East Cork area will be considered as part of this process.

Any proposed building projects arising from Forward Planning Section's analysis will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

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