The school planning section of my Department has considered all applications for temporary accommodation. In the context of the available funding, and the number of applications for that funding, it was not possible to approve all applications received, and only those with an absolute and demonstrated need for additional accommodation were approved. As an interim measure, all schools are required to maximise the use of existing accommodation to meet the needs of their own areas until my Department is in a position to provide extra accommodation.
The need for additional accommodation at the school to which the Deputy refers will be considered in the context of a review which is being undertaken of all projects that did not proceed as part of the 2004 school building programme, with a view to including it as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005, details of which will be announced later in the year.
In addition, as I recently announced, over the remainder of this school year a new school planning model involving published area development plans will be piloted in five areas. Included in the pilot scheme is the north Dublin/south Louth region which covers the Balbriggan area.
The purpose of this new approach to school planning is to ensure that, in future, the provision of school infrastructure will be decided only after a transparent consultation process. In this regard, parents, trustees, sponsors of prospective new schools and all interested parties from a locality will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process.
Following the consultation process, individual plans will set out the blueprint for schools' development in an area covering a period of up to ten years. The needs of the school in question will be taken into consideration in the context of the proposed development plan for its own area.
