Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position in respect of a request for a new school building for Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí in Tralee, County Kerry. The Deputy may find it helpful if I set out the context within which decisions relating to meeting the

demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years are made. Total enrolments in both primary and post-primary schools are expected to grow by almost 70,000 by 2018 - over 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post-primary - and will continue to grow up to at least 2024 at post-primary level.

Recent birth rate data published by the Central Statistics Office shows there were nearly 20,000 births registered in the first quarter of 2011. This is the highest number of births registered in any quarter since the series began in 1960. The birth data also show that 19,313 births were registered for the first quarter of 2012 and indicate a continuation of the high birth rates experienced in the past number of years. Given such recent population growth, we will have a much increased enrolment at all levels of education which is expected to continue in the medium term.

To ensure that every child has access to a physical school place, it is vital that there is sufficient school accommodation to cater for these pupil enrolments. The delivery of school projects to meet the increasing demographic demands will be the main focus for capital investment over the duration of the five-year plan, particularly in those areas where it has been identified that most demographic growth will be concentrated. In this regard, Tralee has not been identified as an area of significant demographic growth. Pupil enrolment projections for Tralee indicate that enrolments will remain relatively stable for the foreseeable future.

In respect of Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí, I wish to advise the Deputy that Kerry Education Service approached my Department last September with a proposal for the relocation and the provision of a new school building on a site to be provided by Tralee Town Council. In this context, a technical inspection of the site has been carried out by my Department to establish its suitability. The visit identified a number of issues that require clarification such as the size and extent of the site available for education purposes; how the site, which is currently landlocked, can be accessed; the potential impact of proposed access roads on the available proposed site; and how these works will be funded. My Department is liaising with Kerry Education Services regarding these aspects.

See this speech in context