Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the Department's position regarding secondary school places in Kildare North. I happened to speak to a principal of a primary school in Kilcock yesterday on another matter. There is a Donegal connection there. She clearly outlined the future pressures in the area, and it was good to hear that analysis.

Deputy Durkan is seeking a forensic assessment. We have a diligent team working in every school planning area and much of the work has already been looked at. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas - in north Kildare, there are six such areas, including Kilcock - and uses a geographical information system, which utilises data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary levels. Where data indicate that additional provision is required, its delivery is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through 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.

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

As the Deputies will be aware, the Government announced plans in April 2018 for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years. This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country, including a number of new schools in County Kildare. Deputy Durkan is interested in the Kilcock area, but I wish to outline recent progress in the broader county. A new eight-classroom primary school to serve the Leixlip school planning area is to be established in 2019. A new eight-classroom primary school to serve the Maynooth school planning area is to be established in 2019. A new eight-classroom primary school to serve the Naas school planning area is to be established in 2021. A new 500-pupil post-primary school in Enfield is to be established in 2020 and will serve the Kilcock school planning area. It is expected to open in 2020 in interim accommodation and will relieve some of the pressure for places in the existing post-primary school in Kilcock. That is not a solution for the matter raised by the Deputy, but I will get to that in a moment. In addition, a new Gaelcholáiste under the patronage of the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, ETB, is due to be established in Maynooth in 2020.

My Department has other major projects ongoing at post-primary schools in north Kildare, including a new 1,000-pupil school for Celbridge community school. This school is currently in interim accommodation pending a new permanent school. The project is at site purchase phase. A new 1,000-pupil school for Maynooth community college is expected to be completed for the 2020-2021 school year. A new replacement school for Maynooth post-primary school is also expected to be completed for the 2020-21 school year. The project to expand St. Farnan's post-primary school in Prosperous to cater for 1,000 pupils was recently devolved to the Kildare and Wicklow ETB and a design team was recently appointed.

To address the issue of a school raised by one of the Deputies, my Department has approved an additional school accommodation project for Scoil Dara in Kilcock. This will deliver five new mainstream classrooms to allow the school to expand to 1,000 pupils. This project also includes the provision of additional specialist rooms. My Department is assessing an application from Clane community school for new specialist rooms and the replacement of existing temporary accommodation.

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