Eoin Ó Broin
Question:718. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the plans her Department has to provide a secondary school in Newcastle, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13219/23]
View answerTuesday, 21 March 2023
Questions (718, 732, 741)
Mark Ward
Question:732. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education her Department's plans to provide a secondary school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13362/23]
View answerMark Ward
Question:741. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to establish a secondary school in Newcastle, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13422/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 718, 732 and 741 together.
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 (SPA's) including the school planning area of Newcastle/Rathcoole .
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 enrolment year for the Newcastle/Rathcoole post-primary School Planning Area is 2025. The combined current 2022 enrolment in the two post primary schools in the SPA is 1,384 pupils. Major building projects are in train for the two post primary schools in the Newcastle/Rathcoole SPA as follows:
- Colaiste Pobail Fola Community College - Project to deliver a 1,000 pupil school with accommodation for pupils with special education needs is at Stage 2b (detailed design) of architectural planning.
- RN91301D Holy Family Community School - Project to deliver a 1,000 pupil school with accommodation for pupils with special education needs is at Stage 3 (tender stage) of architectural planning.
New schools are established by my Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and only after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand.
Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with the local Council in respect of its review of the Development Plan with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements.
It is expected that the building projects for the two schools referred to will cater for the future demand in this school planning area - the requirement for additional school places in the Newcastle/Rathcoole school planning areas will be kept under on-going review.