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

The difficulty for the planning department is that while this school is growing, there are several other schools in the neighbourhood which are declining and which have available spaces. That is where the dilemma occurs.

When the Department is confined to a budget where we build 20,000 additional places every year, we have to apply a rule. These rules apply in all of the 314 planning areas where they look at whether there is a need for places across the catchment. Where one school is popular and others are not so popular, one school is expanding and others are declining, unfortunately, the Department has to take the view to be able to manage the increased demand that it cannot continually see, if you like, the popular schools grow and new spaces provided while a school down the street is emptying out. That is the dilemma that the Department faces in decisions like this and that is the problem the Department has.

Of course, as I stated in my reply, we will keep the enrolment position in the catchment under review. I can understand the Deputy's concern and I will ask them to ensure that children are properly catered for. They have reviewed this case. They believe, based on the facilities available, that the school can manage within this. They apply the same rules in every catchment. That is the difficulty that occurs in these cases.

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