The Department's main responsibility in this regard is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking second level places. This may result in pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Swords is an area of population growth and while there may be a demand in future years for additional provision at postprimary level, the Department is satisfied that, between them, the four existing postprimary schools have adequate provision to cater for current demand.
The Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. In this draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, the Department has set out its recommendations for the Swords area.
The Commission on School accommodation has commenced a public consultation process on the draft document. Interested parties can participate in this process by either forwarding written submissions and/or by making oral presentations to the Commission. Arrangements will be made to hear oral presentations locally. The first series is expected to start on Monday 26th March 2007.
The consultation process will culminate in a final infrastructural Plan which will become the framework against which capital investment for the area will be made for the foreseeable future.
The school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for Major Capital funding. The application, which is for ancillary accommodation and not to increase the capacity of the school, has been assessed in accordance with the prioritisation criteria which have been agreed with the education partners and will be considered in the context of the overall educational plan for the Swords area.