Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
342. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children from Wexford town’s secondary school catchment area who attend schools outside their residential catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54652/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not available in the format requested. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The System uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own 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. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools
- Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department is keeping the school planning areas across the country under ongoing review to take into account of updated enrolment data and also the impact of capacity increases in the school planning areas.
