Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 6 September 2019
484. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which provisions and proposals remain adequate in respect of primary and post-primary school places to accommodate children in Prosperous, County Kildare; the extent of outstanding proposals in this regard; if progress to date remains in line with projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36658/19]
View answer485. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which provisions and proposals remain adequate in respect of primary and post primary school places to accommodate children in Clane, County Kildare; the extent of outstanding proposals in this regard; if progress to date remains in line with projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36659/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 485 together.
Under project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
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. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie and this information is also updated regularly.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. Approximately 40% of extra school places are delivered by extending existing schools.
In April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure. A new 16 classroom primary school (established in September 2019) in Ashbourne and a new special school in Dublin 15 were also announced in 2019 bringing the overall total to 44. While the announcement did not include a new school for the Prosperous_Clane school planning area, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
