I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 391 together.
The post primary school to which the Deputy refers is heavily oversubscribed as a result of a significant number of pupils enrolling from outside its catchment area. The cumulative effect of the development of this type of situation over a number of years can impact negatively on pupils from within the catchment area who are entitled, as of right, to a place in a particular school. It also invariably 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.
As a once off exceptional measure, my Department decided that a number of named pupils from outside the catchment area to which the Deputy refers would be allowed to enrol in the post primary school in question for the 2005-06 school year. This decision was taken because the pupils concerned had an expectation that they would be enrolling in the school and did not have sufficient notice to secure alternative placements. It was made clear to the school authority in July of last year that this arrangement would apply for the 2005-06 school year only. It was made equally clear that the arrangement did not create a precedent and that it would not be repeated in subsequent years.
The catchment areas affected by this situation have a total of five post primary schools between them. An examination of enrolment trends in these schools has been carried out by School Planning Section for the purposes of ensuring that there is sufficient accommodation to cater for demand for pupil places. This examination revealed that enrolments in all five schools have dropped, in some cases quite dramatically, in the past ten years.
I am satisfied, therefore, that there are adequate places for the enrolment of the pupils in question in schools in their own post primary centres. I am also satisfied that adequate notice has been given to the particular post primary school concerned to ensure that it implements an appropriate enrolment policy for the 2006-07 school year in the best interests of its own pupils. Indeed, confirmation has been received from the school that it is effecting such an enrolment policy. In all of the circumstances, my Department's position in this matter remains unchanged.