Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school building projects planned to enter the architectural and planning stages for each of the next four years. [21904/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Based on my Department's most recent statistics, it is expected that enrolments will increase nationally from a current enrolment at primary level of circa 509,652 pupils to circa 552,800 pupils by 2017 and at post-primary level from a current enrolment of circa 317,432 pupils to circa 342,300 pupils by 2017. My Department is currently examining all areas of the country to determine where additional provision will be required at both primary and post-primary level up to 2017. This analysis will inform the development of a multi-annual plan for capital investment in schools.

It is within this context that I recently announced that up to 40 new schools are to be established within the next six years, comprising of twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools. Of the 40 new schools, 17 will be in the Dublin area with a further twelve in the commuter belt of Wicklow, Kildare, Meath and Louth. Six new schools will be established in Cork, three in Galway and one each in Wexford and Cavan. In addition, it will be necessary to extend the capacity of many existing schools to meet the demand for increased pupil places.

The Deputy will be aware that in January 2011, the Minister made an announcement regarding projects to enter architectural planning and to proceed to tender and construction. The announcement provided details of the major projects which make up the School Building Work Programme for 2011. The listings which accompanied the announcement provided an overview of the programme as announced and also details in relation to the current status of each project on the programme. The details in relation to the current status of the projects are updated on a regular basis as projects progress through the stages of architectural planning, tender and construction on my Department's website. The current status of all projects on the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools currently at stage three tender stage; the number of these that will begin construction in the next three months; and the timetable for beginning construction on the remaining schools in stage three. [21905/11]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in the design stage; and the timetable for schools in the design stage to move into the construction stage. [21906/11]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school building projects in each stage of development from planning through to construction. [21907/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 170 inclusive together.

Information, including the current status of all projects on the 2011 School Buildings Works Programme, is available on my Departments website. The current status of projects on the programme is updated on a monthly basis as projects progress from one stage to the next. The website also provides information on all projects in architectural planning which are not currently on the 2011 School Buildings Works Programme and also those projects announced in January of this year to complete brief formulations and to progress into architectural planning.

In general, where no unforeseen issues arise, the tender phase on a major project takes 5-6 months to complete from the point of approval to issue the invitation to tender to the point of appointment of a building contractor. Information on the web-site in relation to those projects which complete tender stage is updated on a monthly basis.