I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.
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. With this information, my Department is currently carrying out demographic analyses to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and at post-primary level. It is anticipated that decisions based on these exercises will be announced in the coming weeks.
In relation to the Balbriggan school planning area, my Department’s main responsibility is to ensure that the existing schools in the Balbriggan area can, between them, cater for the demand from within the school planning area in the 2018/19 school year. It is important that school size is monitored and that a balance is preserved among all schools in the school planning area to ensure that one school is not expanding at the expense of another school.
In this regard, my Department will continue to monitor the position in the Balbriggan area, but considers that there is adequate accommodation between the existing primary schools in the Balbriggan area to meet demand.