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Schools Administration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2021

Tuesday, 23 November 2021

Questions (347)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

347. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the catchment area for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57068/21]

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Written answers

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPAs).

Using school planning area boundaries within my Department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) allows data within those boundaries, including data for enrolments in schools, child benefit and other relevant data to be added to the mapping information, grouped and analysed.

The school planning areas are used in the demographic exercise as a basis for the assessment of areas of growth and to inform recommendations on the establishment of any new schools required in that school planning area. In urban areas, in particular, data relating to adjacent school planning areas is also used to inform our consideration of requirements. There are no current plans to revise school planning areas.

The new post primary school to which the Deputy refers was announced in 2016 following a nationwide demographic analysis which identified an emerging demand at post primary level in the Stepaside School Planning Area.

All new schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand are required to prioritise the enrolment of children from within the designated school planning areas which the school is being established to serve. However, it is important to note that this does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the designated school planning area, rather it reflects the need to accommodate, in the first instance, the demographic for which the school was established. Once the school has been established, parents must apply directly to the school in relation to their child’s enrolment in the normal way.

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