John Lahart
Ceist:173. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide post-primary schools for an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11798/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 20 March 2018
Ceisteanna (173)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools
- Provision of a new school or schools.
For school planning purposes, the Saggart and Citywest areas are located within the Tallaght and Newcastle_Rathcoole school planning areas.
Nationwide demographic exercises involving all school planning areas, including the Tallaght and Newcastle_Rathcoole school planning areas, which will determine where additional school accommodation will be needed in the future, are currently ongoing and this work is almost complete.