Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022
275. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to concerns among parents and school management in an area (details supplied); and if sufficient planning is in place in order to avoid a repeat of the challenges faced in getting first year secondary school allocations for September 2021. [13575/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that in 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, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
The level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision. Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas. Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- 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 there are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
The post-primary school planning area for Greystones is served by 3 post-primary schools including a new regional solution for the Kilcoole and Greystones area which opened in Greystones for the 2020/2021 school year.
The following post-primary schools currently serve the Greystones School Planning Area:
- TempleCarrig Secondary School – this is a co-educational school with capacity for 750 pupils and was established in 2014. The Department has recently approved an extension to this school to expand the capacity of the school to 1,000 pupils plus 3 special education needs bases. The school enrolled additional first year pupils in September 2021 on this basis. My Department has approved additional accommodation to the school for special educational needs purposes.
- Greystones Community College – this new co-educational school was established in 2020 as a regional solution for the Kilcoole/Greystones area and is currently located in interim accommodaton pending the construction of a permanent school building that will cater for 1,000 pupils. The school already has additional interim temporary accommodation available for 2022 and further accommodation is currently being planned for.
- St. David’s Secondary School, Greystones is a co-educational school and a major building project to expand the school to cater for 750 pupils commenced on site in October 2020. This project is expected to be completed by November 2022.
In addition, there is the existing school in the adjacent Kilcoole School Planning Area, Coláiste Craobh Abhann, which currently has accommodation for 750 pupils and for which there is a major project approved to expand the school to 1,000 pupils. This project is at stage 2a of the architectural planning process. Additional temporary accommodation was approved for the school to cater for expanding enrolments pending completion of this extension.
In relation to places for 2022 at 1st year level - the annual admissions notice for each of the schools in the school planning area is available on the individual school website. My Department understands that there are currently places available for 1st year applicants in the Greystones School Planning Area for 2022.
My Department is satisfied that with the establishment of Greystones Community College as a new regional school for the Greystones/Kilcoole area and with the completion of the building projects at St. David’s Secondary School, Greystones, Templecarraig Secondary School and Coláiste Craobh Abhann, Kilcoole, that the resulting additional permanent accommodation will meet the future accommodation needs at post primary level in the area.
