Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
339. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the shortage of primary school places in Gorey in County Wexford; his long-term plans to address the demographic challenge that shows the need for additional places in north County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10638/16]
View answerMy Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own school databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that in November 2015, the establishment of 13 new schools to open nationwide in 2017 and 2018 was announced. It was also announced that a range of areas nationwide are experiencing demographic pressures and would be kept under review. In this regard, the school planning areas in County Wexford, including Gorey, are being kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated child benefit data and enrolment data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases to schools in these areas.
