Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
216. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education due to an expressed preference for a non-religious secondary school in the Dublin 8 area, if any discussions have taken place with existing schools regarding divestment. [11220/24]
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, using data from a range of sources, including CSO Census data, 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.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my Department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from Local Authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
The 2023 demographic exercise indicates that 79% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level show static or decreasing enrolments for the period to 2027 compared with 2022. At post-primary level some 78% of school planning areas are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2030, with most expected to reach a peak within the next two or three years.
Where demographic data indicates 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,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (Aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
These new arrangements also give an opportunity to patrons to apply for the patronage of new schools. The criteria used in deciding on the patronage of new schools place a particular emphasis on parental patronage and language preferences and an analysis of existing provision in the areas where the schools are being established. This approach is underpinned by a 2011 Government Decision.
A new co-educational, multi-denominational post primary school under the patronage of Educate Together was established to serve the Dublin 8 school planning area, along with Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Dublin 6 and Clonskeagh School Planning Areas as a regional solution. In 2018, the school opened in interim accommodation and will provide for a 1,000 pupil school when complete. This new school will provide more choice to the pupils in the Dublin 8 School Planning Area.
Since 2011, 103 new primary and post-primary schools have been established for demographic reasons, 97 of which have a multi-denominational ethos.
The Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process, supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational primary schools across the country.
The voice of the parent and school community is important in the context of a decision to change to a multi-denominational ethos. The school patron is responsible for decisions on transfer of patronage. It is possible for any school to transfer patronage, for example, a school patron may transfer patronage of a denominational (religious) school to a multi-denominational patron. School communities who wish to explore the potential to transfer patronage should contact their school patron in the first instance.
