Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
464. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that children on the northside of Dublin will be faced with extended morning travel times due to lack of school places; the steps her Department is taking to address the shortage in school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45148/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas, including school planning areas in North Dublin.
Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons in North Dublin, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
