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Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020

Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Questions (790, 791, 792)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

790. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the number of discussions her officials have had with Fingal County Council officials in 2019 and to date in 2020 on future educational needs in the Fosterstown area of Swords, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33291/20]

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Thomas Pringle

Question:

791. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the content of the discussions that her officials had with Fingal County Council officials in 2019 and to date in 2020 on future educational needs in the Fosterstown area of Swords, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33292/20]

View answer

Thomas Pringle

Question:

792. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the position of her Department on educational needs in Swords, County Dublin, in the context of planned development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33293/20]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 790 to 792, inclusive, together.

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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. Swords is one of the school planning areas. Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each local authority to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area.

Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional 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.

Since 2018, 47 new schools to cater for demographic demand have been announced to be established over the period 2019-2022 and included in that number are two new primary schools in Swords: one for Swords South which opened in 2019 and one for Swords North, which opened in September 2020. In addition, at post-primary level, Swords Community College is a new 1,000 student post-primary school established in 2018 to meet the needs of the area.

In addition to ongoing demographic analyses, my Department continues to liaise with Fingal County Council in respect of potential longer-term requirements for educational provision across the county, through the review of the County Development Plan, preparation of Local Area Plans and other relevant statutory planning processes.

In regard specifically to Fosterstown, the Fingal Development Plan 2017-2023 designates the Fosterstown lands as an area for which a Masterplan had to be produced. The Fosterstown Masterplan lands were subject to specific objectives including:

– providing for New Metro North,

– Fosterstown Link road,

– a proposed school.

Fingal County Council advised my Department during 2018 that it intended to produce this Masterplan and sought to re-confirm educational requirements for the area. Following a number of engagements with Council Officials, my Department made a submission to the Council identifying a potential future need for a primary school in the area and the Masterplan acknowledges this potential need by identifying a school site.

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