Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2024
116. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the number of children due to start a new school in September in the Dublin area who have yet to be offered a place in a local school; and the efforts her Department is making to ensure that every child will have a place in time. [16340/24]
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.
My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in the Dublin area.
As part of planning for September 2024, post-primary schools in the Dublin School Planning Areas of Castleknock, Carpenterstown, Lucan, Malahide_Nevinstown, Newcastle_Rathcoole and Portmarnock were contacted by the Department, and data on applications for admission has been received by the Department across these areas of enrolment pressure, and updated data on offers and acceptances continues to be received as admissions processes transact.
The sharing of this data has been of assistance in the identification of school place requirements across the areas. In the majority of areas through the work of schools, patrons, management bodies and the Department, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area. However, there is an identified requirement for additional first year places in the Dublin School Planning Areas referenced and the Department have been liaising with schools and patrons in this respect, with a view to advancing a solution as soon as possible.
There can be a high degree of inward and outward mobility of children between School Planning Areas, particularly in urban areas, and parents are free to apply to enrol their children in any school, whether that is in the School Planning Area in which they reside or not.
The Deputy will appreciate that there can often be significant overlap across areas and schools and the nature of the admissions processes is quite complex. As a result there can be multiple iterations, where applicants may accept a place but subsequently be offered and accept a place at a second school, freeing up capacity at the first school accepted.
In that context, while some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2024/25, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one. The Department is continuing to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient school places available, and to put any required solutions in place. As part of this engagement with patrons, the Department is also collaboratively planning towards 2025/26 and future years, as part of forward planning generally.
Since 2020, the department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
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 the Department will continue to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in the Dublin School Planning Areas for the 2024/25 school year and into the future.
