Eoin Ó Broin
Question:500. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education her Department's plans to increase capacity at primary school level in the Dublin 22 area to meet demand in the coming years. [14712/24]
View answerTuesday, 9 April 2024
Questions (500)
Written answers
I 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 my Department.
As the Deputy may be aware, while there can be enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note sometimes this may not be as a result of lack of accommodation, but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications
• School of choice
• Single sex schools
• External draw
Notwithstanding the above, in some areas demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
In response to such previously identified demographic pressures, my Department is providing significant additional primary capacity in the D22 area, including a new 12 classroom school for Scoil Mochua, and new 16 classroom schools for both Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcáin and Gaelscoil na Camóige.
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.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to keep the school place requirements in the Dublin 22 school planning areas, as with other areas across the country, under review.