Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 November 2020
239. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will consider the urgent need for secondary school places (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37733/20]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the 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. Kildare is one such school planning 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, depending on the circumstances, 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 school.
The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and a current exercise to examine updated data, taking cognisance of demographic trends and planned residential development in the school planning areas, is currently at an advanced stage.
Under Project Ireland 2040, the 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 Senator that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project Ireland 2040, including projects in Kildare, may be viewed on the 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, including accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, 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 the Department's website www.education.ie and this information is also updated regularly.
My Department is aware that post-primary enrolments in the Kildare school planning area have been increasing in recent years and it is expected that this pattern will continue in the short to medium-term. In that context, building projects at a number of post-primary schools in the Kildare and surrounding school planning areas which will provide additional capacity have been recently completed or are currently advancing.
Furthermore, it is intended that significant additional capacity to address this demand will be provided by the planned new 1000 pupil building for the existing Curragh post primary school. This is intended to provide capacity to cater for demand arising in the Kildare school planning area as well as that in the Newbridge and Curragh SPAs. There is capacity in the existing Curragh Post-Primary school building pending delivery of the new school building.
The site identification exercise for this school building project is currently at an advanced stage.
Similar to the process adopted for September 2020 readiness, the Department will be engaging further with patron bodies shortly in advance of identifying specific September 2021 capacity pressure points priorities which will necessitate specific action.
