In identifying the requirement for additional school places, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from the Department's own databases. Using this information, my Department determines where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. The area in which the school, referred to by the Deputy, is located adjoins a number of the Department's school planning areas which have experienced recent population growth. Two new primary schools are due to open in these areas this September (in the Cabra/Phibsboro school planning area and in the Drumcondra/Marino school planning area). In addition, in November 2015 I announced that a further new primary school will open in the adjoining school planning area of Pelletstown/Scribblestown in September 2017. This new school provision, in addition to existing school expansions in these areas, will alleviate pressure in the area referred to by the Deputy. My Department is keeping the demographic data for the area under review to take account of updated enrolment and child benefit data and also of the impact of the planned capacity increases. In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, my Department has not received any application for additional accommodation from that school.
