Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Generally, the main point about demographic pressure is that we are catering for 20,000 extra places every year which puts much pressure on the system. There are ways of deciding where extra places are needed which look at planning issues. It needs to look at schools in a whole neighbourhood, not just individual schools.

In 2015 the Department approved devolved funding for Our Lady of Mercy national school, Stradbally, County Waterford, to construct a mainstream classroom. Responsibility for delivery of the project was devolved to the board of management and the board accepted the conditions associated with the grant in February 2016. I understand the project has since been put out to tender.

I am aware that the school has operated as a two-teacher school for several years. It anticipated that enrolment numbers would grow to a level that would warrant the appointment of a third teacher. The Department approved the provision of an additional classroom on this basis. However, enrolment numbers did not materialise as anticipated and the third teacher was, therefore, not appointed.

The school, however, expects enrolments to grow in the future and is advancing with the provision of the classroom approved in 2015. It has since submitted, on Wednesday, 2 November 2016, another application to the Department for additional accommodation. The application will be considered and a response conveyed directly to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been finalised. I note the numbers and will convey them to the building unit. I am sure they are included with the application. In 2012 the enrolment was 38. It was the same in 2013. It increased to 49 in 2014 and has pretty much remained at that level in recent years. It was 50 last year, or up by just one. It has been relatively stable, but, as the Deputy said, it is anticipated that it will grow.

The building unit will be in touch with the school on the back of its most recent application which, as the Deputy said, is to covert two existing mainstream classrooms into a learning support room and a library. That application may have an impact on the school's existing classroom accommodation. It is a very recent application, having been made only a couple of days ago. We will, in consultation with the school, assess the proposal and respond to it.

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