Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021
532. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if her Department has examined the need to establish a new secondary school in Enniskerry, County Wicklow (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13140/21]
View answerIn 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, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. Enniskerry is in the Bray school planning area.
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 of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools;
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools; and
- Provision of a new school or schools.
Following such analysis, a new post primary school to serve the Bray, Kilternan and Ballybrack-Shankill school planning areas (North Wicklow ETSS) was established in 2016.
The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in the Bray school planning area, is at an advanced stage. Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with Wicklow County Council in respect of its review of the County Development Plan with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across the county.
