Fiona O'Loughlin
Ceist:658. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the need for another secondary school in the Newbridge and Kildare town areas of County Kildare. [6313/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 14 April 2016
Ceisteanna (658, 742)
Martin Heydon
Ceist:742. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the review of demographic data supplied by a group (details supplied) in County Kildare on the need for a further second level school in the Kildare and Newbridge area; when she will issue a response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7218/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 658 and 742 together.
Since 2011 new schools are established where the current and projected future demographics of an area require it.
In identifying the requirement for additional school places, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases. As part of the demographic analyses considering the potential additional post-primary school accommodation requirements of a school planning area, account is taken of the location and capacity of other post-primary schools in the school planning area and the wider area to ensure that all of the schools in an area can between them cater for the students requiring places.
With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and at post-primary level. The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that in November 2015, I announced that 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs.
A range of areas nationwide are experiencing increased demographic pressure and these are being kept under ongoing review by my Department. This ongoing review takes account of updated enrolment data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases to existing schools in the area. The areas referred to by the Deputies are included among these.
With the addition of both planned and recently delivered infrastructural provision in the areas referred to by the Deputies, the existing schools should between them be able to cater for the overall level of demographic demand for post-primary school places.
The patronage process for new schools is a separate process, which is run after it is decided that, based on the demographic data, a new school is required.
Parental preferences are central to this process and prospective patrons are required to provide evidence of demand for their particular type of school. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply for patronage of a new school under this process.