Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2006
1293 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in identifying suitable accommodation for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28927/06]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, it is the Department's intention to permanently accommodate the school to which he refers in a building which it expects to be vacated post an amalgamation of three other primary schools. To progress this matter, the next step is to carry out a technical inspection of the buildings concerned to determine the scope of works to facilitate both the amalgamation and the school in question. A date for this visit will be set shortly.
1295 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 745 of 4 July 2006, if she will provide the information previously sought as to whether her attention has been drawn to the accommodation problems in this school and the consequences for children as young as four years of age; if she is in effect instructing the school not to enrol pupils while there are places in other schools in an unspecified neighbourhood; the schools where the spare capacity to which she refers exists; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the school concerned is the only one within reasonable walking distance and is the local school for a large estate; if her attention has further been drawn to the need to refurbish substandard prefab accommodation at the school; if she will reconsider her previous decision in view of the fact that the pupils concerned are already enrolled and have started the school year in the school chosen by their parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28980/06]
View answer1404 Mr. O’Connor asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on her Department’s contacts with a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 in respect of the need for additional accommodation to cater for the growing local population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29774/06]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1295 and 1404 together.
As previously outlined to the Deputy, it is my Department's policy to ensure that schools in an area can between them cater for all pupils seeking places. This not alone maximises the use of available accommodation in the interest of tax payer expenditure but also ensures that no school is developed to the detriment of another. Schools are expected to implement enrolment policies to underpin this position.
With regard to the school concerned, and consistent with the policy outlined, a decision was taken earlier this year not to provide it with extra accommodation because of the availability of vacant accommodation in schools within a reasonable distance namely: St. Anne's National School and Ard Mhuire National School. This decision still stands. The Department is replacing some substandard accommodation at the school in question and it awaits quotations from the school authority in this regard to progress the matter.
My Department is aware that there are significant developments planned for the Tallaght area and it is liaising with South Dublin County Council regarding future school requirements for the area on this basis.
In this context, the Department has also requested the school to which the Deputy refers to submit an application for large scale capital investment which will be assessed in the context of the overall need of the area rather than on a piecemeal basis in the interests of meeting the long term needs of the community as a whole.
