Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
714. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education if she will establish a central applications system for schools for fourth, fifth and sixth class pupils to ensure there is an accurate measure of future demand for school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63207/21]
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.
The most recent analysis undertaken by my Department projects that some 88% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level have stable or decreasing projected enrolments for the period to 2025, whereas some 90% of the school planning areas at post-primary level are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2028.
New schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand are required, in the first instance, to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning area(s) which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the school planning area where they have sufficient places, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.
Aside from the obligation outlined above, the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school Patron and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters.
My Department does, however, work with patrons and school authorities to establish the true extent of any capacity issues in an area. In that context, similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department proactively enages with patron bodies to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate further action to that already in train.
Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. It is expected that the enrolment pressures will reduce in the short-term as such planned additional capacity comes on stream and as demographic demand moves past its peak.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.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.
