John Lahart
Question:209. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the stage his plans are at for a post-primary school for the Citywest and Saggart areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34490/16]
View answerTuesday, 15 November 2016
Questions (209)
Written answers
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 my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic analyses to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
For school planning purposes, Citywest falls within the Tallaght school planning area. There are currently six post-primary schools in this area serving the 20 primary schools. Among the six post-primary schools is a new school which opened in September 2016 in the Kingswood area of Tallaght. This is a multi-denominational school under the patronage of Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board and when fully developed it will provide 1,000 student places.
With regard to the Saggart area, for school planning purposes this falls within the Rathcoole/Saggart school planning area. There is currently one post-primary school in this area serving the four primary schools. A building project for the post-primary school is included on my Department's Six Year Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021 and is listed to proceed to construction during 2016.
Among the new schools announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs, is a new post-primary school under the patronage of Educate Together which will open in 2018 in the Firhouse/Oldbawn school planning area, which is adjacent to the Tallaght school planning area. When fully developed, this school will provide 1,000 pupil places, supplementing provision in the greater area.
As with all school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the Tallaght and Rathcoole/Saggart school planning areas is being kept under review by my Department to take account of updated enrolment data and capacity increases in these and adjoining school planning areas.