Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas fa choinne na ceiste tábhachtaí seo inniu agus as na sonraí a tugadh fosta. I am appreciative of the information and conscious of the fact that there has been a reaching out to see how we can help and work with each other. I also acknowledge my colleague, Deputy Fitzgerald, for her work in keeping me informed on this matter also. The question gives me an opportunity to set out for the Dáil the position on school places at primary level in the Rathcoole area.

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. It uses a geographical information system, GIS, to identify where there will be pressure for school places across the country. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department of Education and Skills' databases. With this information, the Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. Major new residential developments in an area also have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data for significant new residential developments in each area. This is necessary to ensure schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development, including additional residential developments arising from the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, LIHAF.

Where demographic data indicate additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of the following: utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools; extending the capacity of a school or schools; and provision of a new school or schools.

As the Deputies will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools in the next four years, including a new eight-classroom primary school to be established in 2020 to serve the Newcastle-Rathcoole-Saggart school planning area. The four-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure. Following on from the announcement, the locations of all of the schools, including the new primary school announced to serve Newcastle-Rathcoole-Saggart, are being determined as part of the site acquisition process which is under way. The 2020 design and build programme will provide a new eight-classroom school, including a two-class special educational needs base and a 1,000 pupil post-primary school, including a four-class special education needs base, on a shared site at Fortunestown Lane which is in the ownership of the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board. Owing to commercial sensitivities with site acquisitions in general, I am unable to elaborate further at this time.

The capital programme provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. My Department has approved three temporary classrooms for Scoil Chrónáin national school, Rathcoole, to cater for immediate needs. These rooms are initially being provided in Rathcoole Community Centre, pending the provision of the temporary accommodation at the school.

On school admissions, parents can choose to which school to apply and where the school has places available, the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary. The selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and applied fairly to all applicants. However, it may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

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