Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the Department's position on primary school places in the Rathcoole area. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, the Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary levels.

Where data indicates that 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 utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools, extending the capacity of a school or schools, providing a new school or schools, or a combination of these.

The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.

The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to 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. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.

As the Deputy is aware, the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, which was signed into law by the President on 18 July 2018, is important legislation that will introduce a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools in this country and a fair and balanced school admission process for all pupils.

As the Deputy is also aware, in April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years, including a new eight-classroom school to be established in September 2020 to serve the Newcastle, Rathcoole and Saggart school planning area. This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by the Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. I recently announced that five of the new primary schools being established between 2020 and 2022 are being designated for Irish-medium education, including the new eight-classroom primary school to serve the Newcastle, Rathcoole and Saggart school planning area. The new school will be located in the Saggart and Citywest area. It is adjacent to the Tallaght school planning area in which there is no Gaelscoil.

The Department is conscious that Rathcoole is an area of growing demographic demand and additional residential development, and the Department is actively reviewing the potential need to establish a new primary school in Rathcoole.

In respect of meeting current demand for primary school places, the Department approved additional temporary accommodation for Scoil Chrónáin primary school in 2018 and 2019.

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