School Accommodation.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004

Tuesday, 30 March 2004

Ceisteanna (168)

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

282 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing parents of children in the Mullingar area in trying to enrol them in the local schools due to the rapidly expanding population and the lack of school accommodation to cater for these numbers in the area; and if, in this context, additional school accommodation will be provided to cater for this pressing problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9973/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The school planning section of my Department is assessing the relative impact of the changing demographic of Mullingar for school provision.

A new eight classroom primary school is under construction in Mullingar and is expected to be ready for occupation in September 2004. In addition, applications have been received from two bodies wishing to establish new primary schools in the town from the start of the 2004-05 school year. The new schools advisory committee is currently processing these applications.