Post-primary schools in Dublin Mid-West are bursting at the seams. Secondary schools in Lucan, Clondalkin, Rathcoole and Citywest are all operating waiting lists. That means school administration teams are under pressure. It means parents are stressed out and that we are creating anxiety for children.

Research carried out independently in Clondalkin suggests there could be a shortfall of as many as 90 children between those currently in sixth class and second-level school places locally. My constituency is a really growing area. We have two strategic development zones. We have thousands of houses under construction. I am informed by the Department of Education that we have not yet reached the peak of demand. What reassurance can the Minister give parents in Clondalkin, Lucan, Rathcoole and Palmerston that their children will be in second-level schools in September?

As Deputy Higgins will know, there is a right to education. That right to education will be vindicated in the communities she represents as well. The Department of Education is very successfully implementing a school building programme. It has received a further allocation in the budget next year of €490 million. I am working closely with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to make sure new school building projects and extensions to existing schools can be progressed through the system. The Department has a good way of delivering projects and our forward planning unit is working hard with the Department of Education's planning and building unit to make sure they are in the right place where there are capacity issues.