For post-primary purposes, primary schools in these locations come within the catchment area catered for by St. Wolstan's secondary school for girls: Celbridge (2 schools); Ardclough; Straffan.
There are 514 girls attending St. Wolstan's in the current school year and my Department consider that demand for school places is being met at present. My Department consider that, if the demand for places (girls) in Celbridge is fully met by St. Wolstan's, total enrolment in the coming five years will be as follows: 1992-93, 530; 1993-94, 540; 1994-95, 560; 1995-96, 580; 1996-97, 580.
A building project to provide permanent accommodation for St. Wolstan's was progressing through the stages of architectural planning. However, the trustees of St. Wolstan's secondary school have informed my Department that they do not have the personnel, the funds or the space to undertake responsibility in the long term for the provision of post primary education for girls in the Celbridge area.
The Sisters have agreed to continue to cater for the post primary needs of the area in the short term i.e. for the next five years and my Department will consider sympathetically any request for additional, temporary accommodation to meet the short term demand.
There is one other post primary school in Celbridge, the Salesian College, which caters for boys only. My Department are now considering what steps must be taken to provide for girls in Celbridge in the long term.
