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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 1986

Vol. 367 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Collinstown Park (Dublin) Community School.

14.

asked the Minister for Education if, arising from his reply of 15 May whether the decision of the board of management of Collinstown Park Community School not to admit children from St. Bernadette's national school, Quarryvale, which has many pupils from Rowlagh, means that the former school is not fulfilling the task for which it was originally planned; whether this situation has arisen because the plans for Collinstown Park Community School did not take full account of the rate of growth of the school's catchment area or, if it has arisen as a result of the decision of the board of management to admit children from outside the planned catchment area.

It is a matter for the board of management of each post primary school to formulate its own policy on intake of pupils in the light of the accommodation available in the school. I do not consider that the failure of any applicants for admission to Collinstown Park Community School to secure admission means that that school is not fulfilling the task for which it was planned.

Is the Minister aware that the pupils from St. Bernadette's School, Quarryvale, will not have access to Collinstown Park Community School this September and as a result will have to find a school outside the area? Is the Minister aware that most of the pupils in that area of high unemployment do not have the £5 per week required to transport them to a school outside the area? The Minister indicated in the course of a reply to me that school transport is not available to students in that position.

The question refers to other matters. There has been a large growth in the number of pupils in Neilstown, Rowlagh and Quarryvale areas and that could not have been anticipated by the Department or the planning section of Dublin County Council. Had they been aware of this in advance Collinstown Park Community School would not have been built for more than 1,000 pupils. In an area where numbers grow so rapidly it is not the policy of the Department to provide permanent accommodation for all the pupils. I note that most of the 515 pupils in Collinstown Park are from the north Clondalkin area and previously attended the primary schools in Neilstown, Rowlagh and Quarryvale. It is normal procedure that some pupils are anxious to attend a secondary school outside their area.

Is the Minister aware that there is no other school in the area for these pupils? The Minister has admitted that the Department did not take into account the rate of growth in the catchment area with the result that pupils from St. Bernadette's, Quarryvale, have been rejected by Collinstown Park Community School? Those pupils do not have any place to go to. This is an impoverished area and there are lots of single and deserted mothers who cannot afford the time or the money to sent their children outside the area. Has the Minister any plans to deal with that problem? Surely the Department must have some responsibility over the board of management of Collinstown Park Community School.

The Deputy has asked the Minister a number of questions and he should allow him time to reply.

The combined number of pupils expected to leave the three primary schools up to 1990 is predicted to increase from 347 this year to 450 in 1990. A detailed survey of the post primary accommodation needs of the north Clondalkin area is almost complete and I expect to receive a submission from the relevant section of the Department inside a very short time.

I understand that there is some space available in Collinstown Park Community School and I appeal to the Minister to make temporary accommodation available for the pupils of St. Bernadette's, Quarryvale, at Collinstown Park until further accommodation can be arranged following the presentation of the report.

I will have that matter examined in the context of the report coming before me on the north Clondalkin area.

Will the Minister explain how the Department were unaware of the growth in view of the fact that Dublin Corporation had planned the development of that area many years ago? In view of the cock-up that will mean that some children will not get schooling in their own area, will the Minister supply free school transport to alternative schools for those who cannot get into Collinstown Park?

I cannot give the Deputy a definite answer as to the reasons for the population growth in any area. I am sure the planning officer of Dublin County Council made approximations based on the number of planning applications received.

Will the Minister make a guess?

Other matters may be responsible for this and are outside our control. The vast number of pupils attending Collinstown Park Community School attended the Neilstown, Rowlagh and Quarryvale primary schools and 450 pupils are expected to leave those schools by 1990.

Will the Minister arrange free transport for the children who are in difficulty this year?

I am expecting a report on the area within a short time and when I receive it I will take the points raised by Deputies Skelly and Mac Giolla into account.

On the general question of placement in second level schools, will the Minister accept that placement difficulties have been with us for many years on the north and south side of the city?

The question deals with one specific school.

Will the Minister accept that there is a need for a section in his Department to direct itself to placement?

That is a different matter altogether and I am calling the next question.

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