Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The current enrolment in the Presentation secondary school, The Intermediate School and Killorglin community college is 606, 494 and 277, respectively. As the Department has outlined, there are no outstanding applications from any of the schools for additional accommodation. Nevertheless, for the benefit of the Deputy, whose point I understand, I appreciate this is a very stressful time for parents and their families, particularly as they await correspondence from secondary schools informing them whether they have secured a place for September. It is a trying time but we have all seen it for ourselves in our constituency offices. It is a terrible time for students and their families, which is why it is important that some plan be put in place to help in that regard. I again refer the Deputy to the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, which was signed by the President last July. It is important legislation that will begin to relieve the situation and it allows for co-operation among the school boards. I am not sure whether there is full co-operation among the three schools in question but it could be ensured under section 66 of the Act, which relates to co-operation among schools. It allows schools to share information with one another in respect of applications received, offers made and accepted and so on. It would help to prevent a situation where one student might be offered a place in more than one school.

This does happen, as the Deputy knows, and it means people delay making a choice. This is an issue. There could be data sharing between the three schools during the admission process. The schools may argue a GDPR issue would arise but people could sign up to it as part of the admissions process. It would be helpful also because it would give a more even space to students who would know that if they do not take a place, it will go to somebody else. It is happening.

The Deputy referred to accommodation. The Minister has told me the Department will consider any application for interim temporary accommodation should it be required to meet the immediate enrolment needs of any school. My personal advice to the Deputy, because I have been through this myself, is if accommodation is needed, the Department will consider temporary accommodation based on needs. The Deputy's question relates to what I have outlined. The issue of co-operation on school boards is important with regard to data sharing to see who is taking up offers. It might help to alleviate the situation. As I said, no application has been made by the three schools for extra accommodation. Perhaps this is something the Deputy might consider. I thank him for raising the issue. It is not just an issue in Kerry and Clare, it probably affects other areas also.

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