My Department's Capital Programme (2016-2021) continues to address the challenges posed by the significant bulge in pupil enrolments going through our schools. This has seen a significant expansion in the rate of provision of new school places. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process, including those schools in County Kildare. The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed.
I wish to advise the Deputy of the announcement in April regarding the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019-2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by the Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country, including County Kildare, and the four year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future. Based on the current analysis, this need can be addressed through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools. In this regard my Department has received Additional School Accommodation applications from 17 schools in County Kildare to date in 2018 - 8 primary and 9 post primary schools. The applications are in respect of the following locations: Celbridge, Clane, Coill Dubh, Enfield, Killucan, Maynooth and Naas.
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has set out on its website at www.education.ie - Building Works, the current status of building projects and this is updated regularly.
