Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline secondary school options available for children in Ashbourne, County Meath; if he will detail plans for the new secondary school; the pupil capacity and enrolment procedure for same;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13070/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, in June of 2011, I announced that 20 new post-primary schools are to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing demographics. This announcement included a proposal to establish a new post-primary school in Ashbourne. The new school will commence operation in September 2014 under the patronage of County Meath VEC and will cater for 1000 pupils in the long term. My Department is currently working with the Local Authority to identify a suitable site for the new school. The enrolment policy for the new school will be developed by the school's management authorities in due course.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline primary school options available for children in Ashbourne, County Meath; if he will outline the measures he is taking to ensure appropriate and adequate access to primary school places for all children in the locality into the future;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13071/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in March 2011 approval was given for a number of new primary schools to commence operation in September 2011 and 2012 to cater for demographic needs. To cater for the demographic demand in the Ashbourne area, approval was granted to open two new primary schools, one under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta which commenced operation in September 2011, and the second under the patronage of Educate Together which commenced operation in September 2012.

The 5 Year Construction Programme that I announced in March 2012, together with my recent announcement of the 50 school projects which are scheduled for construction in the current year as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme, outlines the major school projects that will commence construction over the duration of the Plan (2012-2016). Three of these projects, two primary schools and one post-primary school are located in Ashbourne.