Monday 25 February 2008

Satellite aid on school places

The Department of Education is to use new satellite technology to help it ascertain where schools will need to be built in future to meet local needs.

It is predicted that the schoolgoing population will increase by some 100,000 over the coming years, raising the primary school population to well over 500,000.

Last September a lack of school places in north Dublin meant some children could not start school immediately when the new term began.

The department is today advertising in national newspapers for tenders to supply a geographical information system (GIS) which will allow the forward planning section of the Department of Education and Science to use an up-to-date technical solution to help in planning the location of schools in the future.

Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin said the department was identifying the areas where significant additional school accommodation would be needed for 2009 and onwards.

The Irish Times

www.buckplanning.ie

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