Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 June 2019
112. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a new primary school catchment area is defined by the school planning area; and if it is the responsibility and remit of the board of management to define the catchment area from which children living in those areas will be given priority particularly in the case of a school located on the edge of a school planning area. [24463/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra113. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to revise the boundaries of school planning areas, specifically the Glasheen and Carrigaline school planning areas and the area where they meet. [24464/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas.
Using school planning area boundaries within my Department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) allows data within those boundaries, including data for enrolments in schools, child benefit and other relevant data to be added to the mapping information, grouped and analysed. The GIS records the number of primary and post-primary schools within each planning area, the combined enrolments for all of the schools within each area, including total enrolment and enrolment in each class group, together with child benefit data for the 0-4 age group relevant to the area.
The school planning areas are used in the demographic exercise as a basis for the assessment of areas of growth and to inform recommendations on the establishment of any new schools required in that school planning area. There are no current plans to revise school planning areas.
New schools established to meet demographic demand are required to prioritise enrolments from within the school planning area which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the designated school planning area, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.
In relation to enrolment generally, it is my Department's responsibility to ensure that schools can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. In schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, it may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in their school of first choice.
In this regard, a Board of Management may find it necessary to prioritise enrolment of children from particular areas or particular age groups or on the basis of some other criterion. For example, some schools give priority to applicants who have attended a particular primary school (known as a feeder school). The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, was signed into law by the President on the 18th July 2018. The overall objective of the Act is to provide a new framework for school enrolment that is designed to ensure that every child is treated fairly and that the way in which schools decide on applications for admission is structured, fair and transparent.
