To ask the Minister for Education and Science the plans for a new primary school in Saggart, County Dublin; if a new building will be in place by September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Freagra : Minister Batt O'Keeffe

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that as part of a fast-track programme, my Department is in the process of providing an 8 classroom temporary school tomeet the immediate accommodation requirements in Saggart. This school will be ready for occupation in the coming weeks. The long term plan is to provide a 16 classroom school and ancillary accommodation as per Department guidelines.

My Department has acknowledged the need to relocate the existing primary school in Saggart to a green field site as the existing site cannot cater for theextra accommodation required for the school. The acquisition of a suitable site and the proposed long-term building project for the school will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally. In light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the acquisition of the school site at this time.