Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Ceist:217. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education what additional investment is planned for schools in the Dublin 8 area to facilitate more students and expand subject choice. [11221/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 7 March 2024
Ceisteanna (217)
Freagraí scríofa
For school planning purposes, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose.
Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform the Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always 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 they are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, the Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any increased demand. Additional provision is made as necessary, where the existing capacity is insufficient for future needs.
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.
The requirement for additional school places in the Dublin 8 School Planning Area is kept under on-going review. Additionally, the Department will continue to liaise with the local Council in respect of its review of the Development Plan with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements.
Since 2020, the department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects, of which 5 are in the Dublin 8 area.
Construction is currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, of which 3 are in Dublin 8. Of these 300 projects 33 are new school buildings.
These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.
There are also close to 90 projects currently at the tender stage. These projects include a further 28 new school buildings.
All of these new school buildings are flagship projects in their area and transform the education infrastructure for those school communities.
This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
The key drivers of capital investment in the school's sector include:
- demographic growth, particularly at post primary level
- increased demand for special educational needs provision
- alignment of school place provision with new housing development
- climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
The range of subjects to be offered in the Junior Cycle programme and Leaving Certificate programme in individual schools will vary in accordance with the teaching resources in the school and the needs and interests of the students and is a matter for school management authorities.
At Junior Cycle students generally study eight to ten subjects with English, Irish and Mathematics and History being required. Students may choose up to six further optional subjects, depending on whether or not they are studying short courses in addition to subjects.
Under the Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools, the approved course of study for students following the established Leaving Certificate must include not less than five subjects from among the range of approved curricular subjects one of which must be Irish.
As part of Senior Cycle Redevelopment, I want to enable students to follow a broad curriculum that develops their interests and skills and supports them in their next phase of life: higher education, further education and training, apprenticeships, and the world of work.
The Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme will examine subject choice at Senior Cycle to understand and address the enablers and barriers to providing increased subject choice for students in all schools.