Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 March 2018
53. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that the primary school needs of children in the River Valley, Ridgewood and Boroimhe areas of Swords can be met in 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14267/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPrior to the conclusion of the enrolment process in the school planning area referred to by the Deputy, representations were made to my Department indicated that there was a shortage of junior infant places for September 2017. At that time my Department, based on demographic information available, projected that 760 junior infant places were required and that the 11 schools enrolling junior infants in the area could facilitate this level of intake. While waiting lists for individual schools seemed to indicate a greater demand than that projected it was understood by my Department that these lists reflected inclusion of pupils on more than one waiting list and also included applications from parents in respect of enrolments in later years, e.g. 2018/19 etc.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the junior infant enrolment in September 2017, in the school planning area referred to was 737.
In respect of September 2018, I can advise that my Department has recently contacted all of the schools in the area to review their projected enrolments for the new academic year. The schools concerned generally commenced their enrolment process for new junior infants in early January of this year and this process is on-going. In that regard, the level of actual demand for all schools is not available at this point.
My Department will continue to liaise with the schools and to keep the matter under review in the coming weeks with a view to putting any necessary arrangements in place to address any deficits in capacity.
Nationwide demographic exercises involving all school planning areas, including the school planning area referred to, which will determine where additional school accommodation will be needed in the future is currently ongoing and this work is almost complete.
