Vol. 571 No. 1
597 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the statutory basis for insisting that it is the responsibility of the patron and board of management to provide accommodation for new schools until a permanent building is provided; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it can take up to ten years for such a permanent building to be provided. [20560/03]
In accordance with section 10 of the Education Act 1998, I may designate a school to be recognised for the purposes of this Act under certain conditions as outlined in the Act, for example, Section 10(2)(e) states “that the school complies with health safety and building standards as are determined by law and any further standards as are determined from time to time by the Minister”. Section 10(2)(f) states “ that the patron agrees that the school shall operate in accordance with such regulations as may be made by the Minister from time to time under section 33 and with this Act and with any other terms and conditions as may reasonably be attached to recognition by the Minister”. The current practice and procedures in relation to newly established primary schools is that the provision of interim accommodation during the period of provisional recognition is a matter for the school patron and is, accordingly an integral part of the proposal being sponsored by the patron. However, any rental costs associated with this provision are grant aided by my Department.
598 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which his Department is fulfilling its obligations with regards to the provision of educational facilities in developing areas. [20561/03]
599 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which his Department is fulfilling its obligations with regard to the provision of educational facilities in developing areas for those who do not wish to avail of a denominational education. [20562/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 together.
The process of assessing and meeting the need for new educational facilities at primary or post-primary level in any given area requires a detailed examination of all relevant factors, including enrolment and demographic trends, housing developments and existing school provision in the general area.
As part of the needs determination process, the Minister for Education and Science is included among the prescribed authorities to whom local authorities are statutorily obliged to send draft development plans or proposed variations to development plans. My Department monitors these plans and meets with local authorities, as required, to establish the location, scale and pace of major housing developments. An assessment is carried out of the likely implications of such developments on the capacity of existing schools and their potential for expansion to meet emerging needs. If deemed appropriate, the local authority is requested to reserve a site for extra educational provision in the form of a new school or schools. In this way, every effort is made to ensure that there is adequate existing provision, or that timely arrangements can be made to extend capacity where necessary. Liaison with existing schools is also an important part of the process, as school authorities would usually alert my Department where, in their view, the need for additional accommodation is anticipated.
As a specific part of the process, school planning section works closely with the four local authorities in the Dublin region in monitoring demographic changes and assessing the likely impact on primary and post-primary school provision of planned new developments. A dedicated forum, the Dublin school planning committee, chaired by school planning section interacts with the Dublin local authorities. This forum comprises representatives of the local authorities in Dublin together with representatives of the patron bodies of primary schools. It meets three times a year.
600 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which his Department would have provided sufficient educational facilities for the growing student population of developing areas like Swords, Lucan and Donabate if Educate Together had not opened schools in those areas; the plans his Department had for meeting such a need; if those plans were changed by the decision of Educate Together to establish those new schools; and if so, the way in which the plans were changed. [20563/03]
The process of assessing and meeting the need for new educational facilities at primary or post-primary level in any given area requires a detailed examination of all relevant factors, including enrolment and demographic trends, housing developments and existing school provision in the general area. As part of the needs determination process, the Minister for Education and Science is included among the prescribed authorities to whom local authorities are statutorily obliged to send draft development plans or proposed variations to development plans. My Department monitors these plans and meets with local authorities, as required, to establish the location, scale and pace of major housing developments. An assessment is carried out of the likely implications of such developments on the capacity of existing schools and their potential for expansion to meet emerging needs. If deemed appropriate, the local authority is requested to reserve a site for extra educational provision in the form of a new school or schools. In this way, every effort is made to ensure that there is adequate existing provision, or that timely arrangements can be made to extend capacity where necessary.
Liaison with existing schools is also an important part of the process, as school authorities would usually alert my Department where, in their view, the need for additional accommodation is anticipated. As a specific part of the process, school planning section works closely with the four local authorities in the Dublin region in monitoring demographic changes and assessing the likely impact of planned new developments. A dedicated forum, the Dublin school planning committee, chaired by school planning section interacts with the Dublin local authorities. This forum comprises representatives of the local authorities in Dublin together with representatives of the patron bodies of primary schools. It meets three times a year.
With regard to the patronage of a school, this issue may be determined in a number of ways. At primary level, where my Department has established the need for new school provision and the matter has not been the subject of an application by local promoters, the case is generally taken up with the established patron bodies to determine their interest. At second level, the options available are a community school, a community college and a voluntary secondary school. Generally, the model chosen in each case is determined following local consultation.
With regard to the specific areas of Lucan, Swords and Donabate, the question of alternative patronage did not arise because Educate Together made applications for the establishment of schools in each of these areas. Apart from the recognition of two Educate Together schools in Lucan, my Department responded to increased demand for pupil places by providing permanent and temporary accommodation at existing schools. In view of anticipated increased demand for primary places in Swords and Donabate, my Department has reserved two sites for primary school purposes and it will continue to monitor developments in the area to ensure that emerging needs are addressed as expeditiously as possible.
Going forward, the entire organisation and structures of the planning and building unit of my Department are being refocused. The intention is to permit more proactive planning by disaggregating to a much greater extent the planning function from the operational or delivery function thus permitting the school planners to plan in a more coherent and strategic manner and by drawing together first and second level needs determination. The ultimate aim is to map the future strategic shape of the educational landscape to assist in informing critical investment decisions in a demonstrably public way.
601 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the status of the extension to Elphin community school, County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20585/03]
The proposed large-scale building project for Elphin community college is listed in section 7 of the 2003 school building programme which is published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. This proposed project is at stage 3 of architectural planning – developed sketch scheme. It has been assigned a “band 3” rating by my Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects. Projects listed in sections 6 and 7 will not be authorised to progress beyond their current stage of architectural planning at this time. Budgetary provisions in 2004 and subsequent years will determine the rate of progression to tender and construction of these projects in conjunction with the band rating individually assigned.
