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

The Deputy raises a number of issues. The reason schools give preference to siblings is to try to avoid a situation where parents have to go to different schools. That is acknowledged in admission policies.

The Department has much improved its liaison with the local authorities. We rely on local authorities for the identification of new sites and liaise very closely with them in the planning and development process. I know that Fingal County Council's development plan is under review, which gives us an opportunity to look at plotting to ensure, as the Deputy says, that we match provision for schooling in the future with population developments. Our departmental planning system is responding to the actual intake of pupils. We rely on data on children born in the area, preschool numbers and so on. We look at all of these data to try to come up with a calculation.

It is my understanding that three schools, Scoil Cholmcille, St. Cronan's and Hollywell Educate Together currently have places on offer. Obviously, we must wait to see whether the rounds of offers, which occur in cycles, meet the needs in the catchment area. The Department believes they will do so but there are indications that should additional places be required, some schools would make provision for additional enrolments. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely.

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