Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2018
245. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of secondary school places in Swords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42457/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. For school planning purposes, Swords is located in the Swords school planning area.
As the Deputy will be aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022. A new 1,000 pupil multi-denominational post-primary school under the patronage of Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board to serve the Swords school planning area was established in September 2018.
This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future. Based on the current analysis, this need can be addressed through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools. Approximately 40% of school places are delivered by extending existing schools, rather than by building new schools. The current status of large-scale projects, including those in Swords, being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department’s website, www.education.gov.ie and this is updated monthly. A list of large scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
I have highlighted that the requirement for new schools will be kept under ongoing review and in particular would have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
