In Dublin 15, staff and parents have just finished celebrating the opening of the new primary schools at Littlepace and Diswellstown. These are the first new permanent primary schools to be built in 9 years of Fianna Fail/PD Government. Already both schools are oversubscribed. We face another round of crisis meetings to secure places for around 200 children who could not be accommodated in the first round of offers.

Its like Groundhog Day ,the same early Spring ritual when parents seek to enroll children to start school in September, but find that demand far exceeds supply for places. Last year a quick fix solution was found when the Minister was faced with a full scale revolt from parents and the whole community.

Joan Burton TD has suggested a way forward to obtain a long-term solution.
· A round table conference of all school principals with County Council and Education officials
· A proper assessment of new needs for the next 5 to 10 years in line with expected new housing
· Immediate purchase of sites for the new schools that will be required in Castheany, Ongar and Hansfield and Castleknock.
· A phased plan to build the schools at the same time as the houses

It’s not that money is in short supply. Like other Government Departments Education handed back millions of euros of its allocation for 2005 at the end of the year. The money is there for these schools but there is a woeful lack of planning and commitment.

Apart from the primary schools issue Joan has been urging the Minister to put her mind to the issue of a second level school as well. The demand for one is there already and can only increase as children end their primary school term and seek local secondary places.

The existing secondary schools in Coolmine,Hartstown and Castleknock are already working at full capacity and could not cope with the expected number of new pupils in the coming years.

“I just feel it is time to make a decision very soon to acquire a site and get the project underway in sufficient time to cater for the needs of those who will finish primary school and will want local secondary places” said Deputy Burton.