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School Enrolments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Questions (351)

Richard Bruton

Question:

351. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the scarcity of school places in the school planning area D13 Donaghmede Howth; if she has collected information on the long waiting lists for some schools particularly those offering non-denominational education; if she has assessed whether all pupils needing a place can be appropriately accommodated; and if she has plans to deliver additional accommodation for the start of the 2022-2023 school year in September 2022. [12989/22]

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Written answers

I wish to advise the Deputy that in 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 level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision. 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 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 schools.

My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas including the school planning area Dublin 13 Donaghmede Howth.

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 there are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.

The projected peak year for the Donaghmede Howth Post-Primary School Planning Area is 2024 with 4,263 places required. The current 2021 enrolment is 4,043 pupils. There are currently 9 post primary schools in this school planning area area, of which one is fee paying.

The opening of a 1,000 pupil school has been deferred from the original planned year of establishment. A further exercise has since been conducted on the necessity for the establishment of a number of planned new schools, taking into account a number of factors, including the pace of delivery of the expected additional residential development in the school planning areas, associated enrolments and the capacity in existing schools in the areas. As a result, the establishment of some of the planned new schools have been deferred. The pace of delivery of additional residential developments, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of school requirements.

A number of school building projects are in train or proposed in the School Planning Area as outlined below:

- St. Mary’s Secondary School, Baldoyle. A refurbishment project is ongoing which also includes the provision of an additional home-economics room. The project is at stage 4.

- Santa Sabina Dominican College. A project which will provide an additional four general classrooms has been approved under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. The project is at stage one.

- Belmayne Educate Together Secondary School was established in 2019. The school is in interim accommodation on its permanent site and three additional classrooms and one specialist room has been approved for the 2022/2023 academic year. A major project to provide permanent accommodation for the school is currently at tender stage. The school will cater for 1,000 pupils in the long-term.

- Gaelcholaiste Reachrann. A major project to provide permanent accommodation for the school is at tender stage and construction is expected to be completed by mid 2024. This will provide capacity for 600 pupils.

- Grange Community College. There are plans to expand this school to cater for 1,000 pupils and the project is currently at Project Brief stage.

- St. Fintan’s High School. A project is proposed for this school which is currently at Project Brief stage.

The annual admissions notice for each of the schools in the school planning area is available on the individual school website.

Similarly for the primary School Planning Area for Donaghmede Howth, the peak enrolment year is expected to be 2024. There are 16 primary schools in this School Planning Area. Two new primary schools were established in this school planning area recently:

- Stapolin ETNS was established in 2019. A proposed new 16-classroom school is currently at tender stage. The school is currently in interim accommodation pending construction of the permanent new school building. The school is currently a 4-teacher school.

- Killester Raheny Clontarf ETNS was established in 2019. It is currently a 2-teacher school and is operating in interim accommodation. With regard to meeting the school's interim and longer term accommodation needs, the Department is currently engaging with City of Dublin Education & Training Board (CDETB) in respect of property matters generally. As part of these discussions, it has been proposed that Killester Raheny Clontarf ETNS will be permanently located at Killester College of Further Education. This engagement with CDETB is ongoing. The Department is actively working to put both permanent and new interim accommodation arrangements in place for Killester Raheny Clontarf ETNS and will confirm these arrangements to the school patron as soon as it is possible to do so.

It is expected that these new schools together with the existing primary school accommodation will cater for the future primary school demand for Donaghmede Howth school planning area.

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