The school planning section of my Department is currently examining educational provision at primary and post primary level in the Gorey area. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and the capacity of existing schools to meet the demand for places. When this examination has been completed, the Department will bring forward plans as to how best the school accommodation needs of the area might be met into the future.
Allowing pupils from outside the catchment area to enrol in the community school to which the Deputy refers can impact negatively on those who reside within the area and who are entitled, as of right, to a place in that school. It invariably also impacts negatively on the school or schools to which these pupils should rightly attend and in which considerable capital investment has been made for this purpose. It is a matter for all school authorities, in the context of their enrolment policies, to limit enrolment to within their catchment areas to ensure that such situations do not arise. A school authority may offer places to pupils from outside the catchment area only if it does not have negative repercussions for additional accommodation and transport costs.
