Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2020
202. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure that children (details supplied) in County Cork have an appropriate second-level school place for the 2020-21 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2789/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to inform the Deputy that as school authorities finalise their enrolments each year, issues have arisen where primary school pupils are experiencing difficulties in a number of areas in securing a post-primary school place for the start of the new school year (September 2020).
Where capacity is an issue the key points to be considered are:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Where these issues exist, Department officials from the Planning and Building Unit engage with all relevant parties to resolve them.
