Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 114: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she intends to sanction the provision of a Gaelcholaiste for North Kildare. [34432/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent projections used by my Department would see the projected enrolments at post-primary level increase from the current total enrolment (excluding PLCs) of circa 312,200 pupils to an expected enrolment circa 328,700 pupils by the year 2016. Meeting this level of significant increased demand for education services will be a major challenge.

It is within this context that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of analysing all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional provision which will be required at both primary and post primary level up to 2017. Overall post-primary requirements in the North Kildare area, including the case for the provision of a new Irish language post-primary school will be considered in this context.

A multi-million Euro building project has been provided for Coláiste Cois Liffe, Lucan to cater for a long term projected enrolment of 600 pupils. This Gaelcholaiste, under the aegis of Co. Dublin VEC was built to serve the needs of the west Dublin /north Kildare area, including Maynooth and Kilcock. The enrolment for 2009/10 in Coláiste Cois Life was 345 and therefore this school would appear to have capacity to cater for the North Kildare area.

In addition to this I have recently announced the setting up of a new framework in relation to the establishment of new second-level schools and their patronage, whereby an expert Group to be known as the Second-Level Patronage Advisory Group will consider applications for new schools and advise me in relation to those applications, having undertaken survey work of parental views and using the criteria to be set down.

The progression of all large scale building projects arising from Forward Planning Section's analysis will be considered in the context of my Department's School Building and Modernisation Programme.