Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for taking this Topical Issue debate, which deals with the crisis in the number of secondary school places in Dublin Fingal. The Minister recently paid a visit to Skerries community college in advance of polling in the by-election. There is a more fundamental issue in north Dublin and I am glad of the opportunity to address it with the Minister. We are the fastest growing and youngest constituency in the country and a great deal of work has been done by successive Governments to provide additional places at primary school level, but some of our towns are struggling to provide secondary school places. For the first time in a long while, for example, Malahide community school has a waiting list of people in its catchment area to whom it will not be able to offer places. The same applies at Portmarnock community school. The Minister visited Skerries community college where parents are concerned about places for their sons and daughters. More than 100 people who applied to St. Joseph's secondary school in Rush could not get a place.

There are also issues in Swords and throughout the county. I have tabled a series of parliamentary questions in this regard and the responses I have received from the Department deal with the capital programme and what will happen. While that is fine, and we will keep the pressure on, for 2020 we have a specific issue. To take Portmarnock, for argument's sake, there are issues with the ongoing delay with the extension and refurbishment of the school. There is no additional capacity in Malahide. There was a delay with opening the Malahide-Portmarnock Educate Together secondary school in Kinsealy. It was planned to accommodate 1,000 people but the intake is only 48 pupils a year. We have a very specific issue in north Dublin.

I have spent the past couple of weeks speaking to parents and I know some of them have corresponded with the Minister's office. The lack of alternatives is a real concern and I have not even mentioned Lusk, where there are also issues, about which I have written to the Minister. The Department needs urgently to review the number of students who have not been able to secure a place for September 2020. We have time to rectify the situation. Most of the schools have set a deadline of 2 December for acceptance of offers, and I hope the lists will be worked through, but there is no doubt in my mind that we are still over capacity. As I have said, it is a very particular issue.

Where this matter becomes particularly acute is with regard to students with special needs. One mother emailed me and I have spoken to her. She has applied to nine schools. Her son has autism and requires assistance in school. I know this has come up previously in the Minister's brief. This child is No. 78 on one list, category 10 on another and No. 43 on another list. I know the Minister knows the stress for the parents and students of not knowing whether they will secure a place next year and, in particular, whether they will be able to secure a place with their peers and the children they have grown up with and been with through the primary system.

We need this issue addressed. It is at crisis point in north Dublin. I am sure the Acting Chairman, Deputy Farrell, will also confirm this. The numbers are significant and growing further with the new developments that are happening. There is a real concern that this year is bad but it will get worse year by year. We need to expedite the delivery of the promised schools. Will the Minister in particular look favourably at carrying out a specific review on the Dublin Fingal area to deal with the lack of availability of secondary school places?

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