Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 April 2005
832 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the cost and value of the proposed second hand prefab for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; the estimated cost for installing it on site; the location of the prefab; when the work will be completed; and the acquisition of the reserved primary school site for the Castaheany/Ongar area. [10104/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department for site acquisitions, has identified a site for the school. Discussions between the Office of Public Works and the landowner are ongoing. My Department is not in a position to indicate the estimated cost of relocating existing temporary accommodation to the school as this is regarded as commercially sensitive information. My Department's school building section is accessing the available temporary accommodation and will be in contact with the management authorities of the school with a view to progressing the matter as quickly as possible. My Department will ensure that sufficient accommodation is available for September 2005.
833 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science her proposals to deal with the 101 children waiting for a place at a school (details supplied) who have been refused admission for September 2005 due to the school only making provision for 90 pupils; the proposals to provide for an adequate number of school places in the Castaheany-Littlepace-Ongar area. [10105/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra843 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason, due to the fact that there are 101 children on the waiting list for a place in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15, her Department only purchased a three-acre site and built a 16-room school in 2004, when a five acre site was available and a larger school could have been built to cope with the demand. [10158/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra844 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason there are two classrooms lying vacant in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and the measures her Department proposes to take to ease the pressure of numbers on the waiting list. [10159/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra847 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that 101 children are on the waiting list for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if her Department will reconsider the decision not to purchase the adjacent two acre site and give the school increased capacity to have a 32 class school. [10190/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 833, 843, 844 and 847 together.
I am fully conscious that the Dublin 15 area is one of the most rapidly developing areas in the State and, as a result of this, there has been a marked increase in the demand for school places, particularly at primary level. My Department is taking a number of measures to increase the capacity of existing schools in the area concerned along with the development of new schools to meet this growing demand. A building project to provide a new building for the school is on site. To further expand capacity at this school, my Department has approached the school's board of management to discuss the possibility of expanding the school to cater for a four stream intake at junior infant level for next September. This could be achieved by the school expanding to a 32 classroom school or re-organising to form a junior and senior school. I am confident this development will cater for the needs of pupils wishing to attend this school for next September. In addition, a building project underway at Huntstown national school will increase the capacity of that school to 32 classrooms. This project is nearing completion.
The area is also served by Castaheany Educate Together national school. My Department is pursuing the issue of site acquisition for this school and the provision of a permanent school building for it will be prioritised in my Department. It is envisaged that the demand for places is such that this school will need to grow to a 24 classroom school which will facilitate an annual intake of three junior infant classes. In the interim, temporary accommodation will be provided to meet the school's immediate needs for next September.
I am confident that a combination of the measures outlined will alleviate demand for pupil places in the area for the foreseeable future.
