Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
276. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which provision of adequate school places continues in line with requirements at both primary and second level in Naas, County Kildare, given the increased demand arising from burgeoning population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45315/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, In order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
My Department's projections of primary school place requirements in the Naas SPA indicate that enrolments at primary level will continue to increase up to 2027 followed by a projected reduction in enrolments thereafter. At a national level, primary enrolments are projected to decrease by circa 10,000 every year over the course of a decade. However, there will be local variations to this trend particularly in areas of very significant population growth. Projections of Post-Primary school place requirements indicate enrolments are currently at their peak, and will begin to gradually reduce.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always 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 they are not available to all pupils
• External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, including the Naas School Planning Area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision.
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,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
There are currently a number of active projects at primary level in the Naas School Planning Area which will increase local capacity, including the following:
• Mercy Convent, Naas. New School Building: Brief for a 32 classroom school. Currently at Stage 3
• St. Corban's NS, Naas. New School Building: Extension to provide 16 classroom school with 2 SNU. Currently at Stage 2b
• Holy Child NS. Extension: 2X Mainstream,2 Classroom SEN base & 1 x 19m2 SET. Currently at Stage 1
At post primary level, a new 1,000 pupil school building for Naas Community College has been recently completed. A project to provide additional specialist rooms at St. Mary's College is also delivered. In addition, a project to further extend the accommodation at St. Mary's College is at Stage 2b, detailed design.
Overall, the additional capacity being provided in Naas is expected to meet the needs for primary and post primary school places. Nevertheless, the requirement for additional school places in the Naas school planning area is kept under on-going review. 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 further long-term school accommodation requirements.
