Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 January 2016
438. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her plans for a new school building and community centre for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5, given the recent announcement from Dublin City Council of the proposed 655 homes which are planned for Oscar Traynor Road. [2994/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided a purpose built building for the school in question in 2008. My Department, therefore, has no plans to replace or extend the building in the foreseeable future. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In this regard, my Department is aware that there is existing capacity in primary schools in the Coolock/Darndale/Artane/Edenmore areas.
My Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. A new primary school will open in September 2016 to serve the Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1 feeder area (which is adjacent to the feeder area in which Gaelscoil Cholmcille is situated) to cater for the demographic growth in that area. My Department will keep the demographic projections under ongoing review to take account of updated enrolment and child benefit data and also the impact of capacity increases to schools in these areas.
