Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2021
146. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the details of the audits carried out by her Department in respect of existing school buildings in Galway city, both vacant and occupied, to ascertain the need for the construction of additional school buildings in the city to accommodate rising student numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57190/21]
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 and uses a Geographical Information System (GIS), using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, the Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. This information provides a degree of certainty in projecting demand in an area in future years.
Where an additional school place demand is identified, the need can be met by one or more of the following options:
- utilizing spare capacity in existing schools
- expansion of existing schools
- establishment of a new school
In that assessment of appropriate solutions, my Department considers a national inventory of school capacity which is completed by individual schools. When schools are providing their annual 30 September enrolment returns to the Department in respect of the Primary On-line Database (POD) for primary schools and Post-Primary On-line Database (PPOD) for post-primary schools, they are now also requested to provide information in respect of overall demand for school places and available capacity within their schools. The compilation and analysis of this information at local, regional and national level through the Department's GIS is an important additional feature of the school planning process.
As the Deputy will be aware, a new 1,000 pupil post primary school, Galway ETSS, was established in 2019 to serve the Galway City and Oranmore school planning areas as a regional solution. My Department is currently working to secure a site for the school's new permanent building.
My Department also has building projects at primary, post primary and special schools in Galway City, including:
- A new school building for St. Joseph's College
- A major extension at Coláiste Mhuire Máthair
- New school buildings for Scoil Caitriona Junior and Senior Schools
- A new school building for Cuan na Gaillimhe CNS
- A new school building for Rosedale Special School
My Department is aware of vacant former school properties in Galway City, and of properties which may become vacant as a result of school building projects. These properties are in the ownership of third-parties, but in all instances across the country, such properties are considered as part of my Department's assessment of potential solutions for school accommodation needs and my Department engages with the relevant property owners as appropriate.
This multi-faceted approach enhances my Department’s capacity to plan the provision of essential school places across all school planning areas including Galway city.
