Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
273. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education to outline plans to tackle the chronic shortage of school places across Lucan, Clondalkin, Newcastle and Rathcoole, where school building projects are progressing too slowly to cope with the surge in demand resulting, in some cases, in children in category one for their local post primary school being placed up to 194th and 229th on waiting lists. [52233/23]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department.
As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, the Department of Education divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System (or GIS) 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 the Department’s projections of school place requirements.
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, the Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any increased demand. Additional provision is made as necessary, where the existing capacity is insufficient for future needs.
The Department is aware of pressures at post primary level in a number of school planning areas across Dublin, including Newcastle_Rathcoole, Lucan and Clondalkin School Planning Areas. A critical next step is to acquire clarity on the actual number of additional first year places required for 2024 in order for an appropriate solution to be put in place. In that context, schools in a number of areas of enrolment pressure, including Newcastle_Rathcoole and Lucan have been requested to share data on applications for admissions. The Department is liaising closely with schools to ensure that this data is provided as soon as possible, and once it is received the actual requirement for places can be established. The understanding of the actual school place needs will give clarity as to the specific actions that are required.
This close engagement with schools and patrons will also allow the Department to identify particular further capacity requirements for the forthcoming years and put any required solutions in place - beyond those that are already in train - to ensure sufficient school places to meet the needs of students in the area.
In line with the Department's demographic projections of post primary school place requirements there has been a continued growth in enrolments in Newcastle_Rathcoole, Lucan and Clondalkin. In response to the projections of school place needs in these planning areas, the Department is providing significant additional post primary capacity. In Newcastle_Rathcoole, projects are underway to provide new 1,000 pupil school buildings for both Holy Family Community School and Coláiste Pobail Fola. These projects are currently at Stage 3, Tender Stage. In Lucan, projects are underway to provide new 1,000 pupil school buildings for St Joseph's College, Lucan Community College and Griffeen College. The project for St Josephs College is currently at Construction phase, while both projects for Lucan CC and Griffeen College are at Stage 3- Tender Stage.
The current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie . and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
This also lists all school building projects completed under the Large Scale and Additional Accommodation Scheme, in county order, from 2010 to date.
I can assure the Deputy that Department officials will continue to actively engage with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in Newcastle_Rathcoole, Lucan and Clondalkin for the 2024/25 school year and into the future. Families can be assured that any necessary solution will be delivered so that all of the children in the Newcastle_Rathcoole, Lucan and Clondalkin School Planning Areas will receive a first year place.
