137 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Education and Science when a decision will be made on the acquisition of a new site for St. Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin, County Kildare; and when construction of the new school is expected to commence. [12122/02]

My Department's building unit has agreed in principle to grant aid the provision of new accommodation to replace the existing St. Paul's secondary school, Monasterevin, County Kildare. The planning section of my Department has advised the post-primary building unit that the new school should cater for a long-term enrolment figure of 375 pupils.

The management authority of St. Paul's secondary school has identified a number of potential sites for the new school. A senior architect from the building unit has inspected the sites and a decision regarding the purchase of the most suitable site that represents value for money will be made as soon as possible.

At this stage it is not possible to say when the construction of the new school is likely to commence.