Peadar Tóibín
Question:253. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a Gaelscoil in the south Kildare region; and the number of children who attend Gaelscoileanna in Kildare South. [22224/16]
View answerTuesday, 19 July 2016
Questions (253)
Written answers
In Kildare South, 708 children attended the three Gaelscoileanna in Newbridge, Kildare Town and Athy in the 2015/16 school year.
My Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses a range of data sources in carrying out nationwide demographic analyses to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. Following the 2015 demographic analyses, 13 new schools will be established nationwide in 2017 and 2018 to meet the demographic need in these areas.
A range of areas nationwide, including South Kildare, are experiencing some demographic pressure. However, not to such an extent as to warrant the provision of a new school at present. In this regard, these areas, including those in South Kildare, are being kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases in these areas.
When it is decided that a new school is required in an area, my Department runs a separate patronage process to decide who will operate the school. This patronage process incorporates consideration of, and the potential for, Irish-medium provision. It is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons, including patrons involved in Irish-medium provision and indeed any prospective patron which wishes to provide Irish-medium education, to apply for patronage of a new school under the patronage process. Parental preferences for each patron, together with the extent of diversity currently available in the area, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process. In this regard, as part of the application process, prospective patrons must submit completed parental preferences.