Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 May 1992

Vol. 419 No. 1

Written Answers. - Dublin Secondary School Places.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

104 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the situation in relation to second level education places for boys finishing primary school living in the Navan Road in Dublin 7 which has now reached crisis point; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that, (a) some children living in the Navan Road area and attending national school there, who were assumed to have a sure place at St. Declan's Christian Brothers secondary school, Navan Road, now find that this is not the case and their parents are left in the predicament of seeking a place in more distant schools to which they will have to bus their children and (b) this problem is caused by the fact that there is a huge influx of pupils into St. Declan's, Navan Road, from the Castleknock and adjacent area, because of the failure to proceed with the promised secondary school there; if, in the circumstances, he will provide additional classrooms and teachers at St. Declan's in order to ensure that at least all those boys living in the Navan Road area have a place in their local secondary school; if he will outline, (1) the total planned intake for St. Declan's school for this year and each of the next five years and (2) the percentage of that intake which comes from, (i) the Navan Road, (ii) Castleknock and (iii) elsewhere; and if he will further outline, for the same years, the total number of boys living in the Navan Road area who will be seeking a place in secondary school.

Minister for Education (Mr. S. Brennan)

The school in question is a voluntary secondary school. Intake policy into such a school is primarily a matter for school management, subject to acceptable criteria being applied. It would be expected that priority would be given to pupils who are resident in and attend primary schools within the school's own area.

I accept that there is pressure on post-primary places for both boys and girls in the Navan Road/Cabra area of Dublin at present. I am satisfied, however, that the decision to build a new post-primary school in Hartstown, starting with provision for 100 pupils next September, to be followed by a new school in Dunboyne, will greatly ease the situation in that general area, including Navan Road/Cabra.

In the circumstances, the question of providing additional accommodation at the school in question should not arise at this stage. My Department will however, continue to keep under review the post primary accommodation needs of the general area.

It is understood that an intake of 132 pupils is planned for the forthcoming school year. Over 50 per cent of these pupils are from the Navan Road/Cabra area. The remainder are from the adjacent areas, mainly Castleknock, Blanchardstown, Laurel Lodge and from the Dunboyne area of County Meath. Similar data in relation to future years is not readily available.

The output of boys from the primary schools in the Navan Road/Cabra area based on current enrolment figures will be as follows:

	Navan Road	Cabra	Total
1992	108	35	143
1993	98	22	120
1994	92	26	118
1995	104	26	130
1996	100	26	126
1997	68	59	127