The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, yesterday launched a blueprint for the development of schools in the N4/M4 area, covering the zone from Leixlip to Kilcock.
Following a public consultation process involving submissions from all interested parties, a final plan for the area will be published by the end of this year.
This will provide the basis for all capital funding decisions in the area over the next decade.
The publication of the draft area development plan follows the launch of a similar project for the Mountmellick and Mountrath area.
The new plan includes Celbridge and Maynooth, and covers an area stretching from Enfield to Kilbeggan, incorporating Longwood, Edenderry and Killucan.
Announcing the draft plan, Mr Dempsey said key decisions on educational provision had previously tended to be taken with no reference to the public at large.
"I am introducing a new planning model for educational infrastructure to ensure that, in future, school provision will be decided only after a transparent consultation process," he said.
"In this regard, trustees, parents, sponsors of prospective schools and all interested parties from a locality will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process."
The new plan will include details of existing primary and post-primary provision; examination of the demographics of the area and other relevant factors; commentary on this data; and recommendations for future educational infrastructural provision.
A Department of Education and Science spokeswoman said the N4/M4 area had been chosen as one of five pilot project zones because it covered a number of commuter towns.
A decision on whether to extend the new model for school planning nationwide would be taken once these pilot projects were complete, she said.
However, Mr John Carr, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, warned that the draft report indicated a potential need for up to four new primary schools in the area.
He said the consultation process must not be used as an excuse to delay much-needed building works in the region,.
"With this early identification of need, it should be possible to have permanent buildings in place when needed.
"It is essential to avoid the 'start-ups' in temporary accommodation which have been a feature of school building to date," he said.