Site Acquisitions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2012

Wednesday, 17 October 2012

Ceisteanna (127)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Ceist:

127. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 66 of 10 October 2012, if his Department in prioritising the acquisition of a site for one school is cognisant to the broader educational needs of the area and if therefore the criteria applying to the selection of the prioritised site will include consideration of the possible extension of the site in the future; his views on whether an approach previously adopted by his Department in Athy, County Kildare, and Naas, County Kildare, represents best practice in educational planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45255/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government notes that shared educational campuses will be the preferred model for development of educational infrastructure in areas of demographic growth. He cites some of the many examples of where such campuses have been successfully developed. However, as the Deputy will understand, the development of such campuses has to take account of identified local needs, existing education infrastructural provision, the availability of suitable sites and other competing demands on my Department's capital budget. The position as outlined in PQ No. 66 of 10 October 2012 reflects my Department's assessment in relation to the need to provide additional capacity at post primary level in the area referred to by the Deputy.