Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 October 2013
97. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the intended catchment area for a new primary school for which his Department has recently applied to Dublin City Council for planning permission on Bannow Road, Cabra West, Dublin 7 (details supplied). [44997/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that demographic projections which are based on child benefit data for the Dublin 7 area indicates a requirement for up to 38 additional primary school classrooms in the general area in the coming years. While most of that demand will be catered for by using current capacity in the existing primary schools in the area and also through the proposed expansion of some of those schools, my Department forecasts indicate that a new school building may be required to meet future demand that is projected to arise in the coming years.
With the closure of the FÁS training centre in Cabra, FÁS approached my Department to establish whether there would be an educational use for that property. A planning application for a 16 classroom primary school was prepared and recently submitted by my Department in relation to part of the former training centre site. Assuming that planning for a school building is secured, my Department will have 16 primary school classrooms available at the former training centre site in anticipation of meeting future needs in the area.
