My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas, including the school planning area Dolphins Barn D12.
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
My Department is working with relevant school authorities to establish the extent of enrolment pressures through ongoing discussions with the relevant school authorities. In that context, 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 years which may necessitate further action to that already in train. My Department's priority is ensuring that there are sufficient overall school places in an area.
Where it is determined that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools, or
- Provision of a new school or schools.
Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. Additionally, the Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, including accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, if required, for schools where an additional enrolment need has been identified. The current status of these projects being delivered including in the Dolphins Barn D12 school planning area is listed on www.gov.ie and is updated on a monthly basis to reflect their progress.
These include the following:
- Scoil Mhuire Ogh 1, Crumlin Road. A refurbishment project is ongoing to create 1 class SEN Base. The project is at stage 4.
- St. Cillians NS. Bluebell. An extension that includes 1 Mainstream Classroom and SET space with WC. The project is at stage 1.
- Scoil Mhuire Ogh 2, Crumlin Road. A temporary SEN Class project is currently at Stage 3. A permanent new extension that includes 13 Mainstream Classrooms, 4 Resource Rooms, 1 Multimedia Room, 1 Textiles Room, 1 Art/Crafts Room, 2 Home Economics Rooms, 3 Science Labs and 2 prep Rooms, 1 Graphics Room, 1 Construction room and Prep Room, 1 Engineering Room and 4 SET Rooms. The project is at stage 1.
- Marist National School. Project ongoing for 2 Class SEN Base. The project is at Stage 2a.
- Our Lady of the Wayside NS, Bluebell. Project ongoing for 3 Class SEN Base. The project is at Stage 1.
- St. Damian's NS, Perrystown. A refurbishment project is ongoing to create 1 class SEN Base. The project is at stage 2b.
- Holy Spirit Junior Primary School, Greenhills. 1 ASD Unit and 2 Mainstream Classroom. The project is at stage 4.
- Holy Spirit Senior Primary School, Greenhills. 2 ASD Unit. The project is at stage 4.
- Scoil Una Naofa, Crumlin. A refurbishment project is ongoing to create 1 class SEN Base. The project is at stage 1.
The annual admissions notice for each of the current 19 primary schools in this school planning area is available on the individual school websites.
