338 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Science if a school (details supplied) in County Meath, which was capped by her officials in the 2003 to 2004 school year at 16 teachers and 464 pupils, will during the 2006 to 2007 school year be upgraded to a 24 teacher senior school in view of the fact that the upgrade will be on the 2.4 acre site presently occupied by the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43393/06]

Prior to 2005/06 the school to which the Deputy refers was the only primary school in the area. At that time the school was a fully vertical co-educational facility meaning it catered for pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class. It became a co-educational senior school in September 2005 following the establishment of a corresponding junior co-educational facility. No cap was ever placed by the Department on the school's enrolments.

As the Deputy will be aware, the area in which the school is located is rapidly developing. The Department has determined that to meet the long term need for pupil places, 2 x twenty four classroom schools are required. This provision will be made by way of a new greenfield school site for the junior school and an extension to the existing school. How the extension project can be achieved is a professional matter for the Project Manager who has been appointed by the Department to master plan the sites in question.