Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline for the House the position with regard to post-primary school development in east Cork. To plan for school provision and to analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographic information system, GIS. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including child benefit data from the Department of Social Protection and the Department's school enrolment databases, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise.

This process has been strengthened this year through three specific initiatives. First, there has been enhanced engagement with local authorities on the information on residential development incorporated in the analytical process. Second, there has been additional engagement with patron bodies on their local knowledge on school place requirements. Education and training boards, diocesan offices and national patron bodies such as Educate Together and An Foras Pátrúnachta can also be important sources of local knowledge. This will add to information provided to the Department by local authorities or individual schools. Third, there is a utilising of information which is gleaned from schools under the national inventory of school capacity, which was completed by individual schools last year as part of the primary online database, POD, and post-primary online database, P-POD, returns process.

Where data indicate additional provision is required at primary or post-primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case. It may be provided through either one of the following measures or a combination of them: utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools, extending the capacity of a school or schools, or provision of a new school if and where required. In a regular year, addressing the increased demand for school places, while challenging, is manageable. Generally, there is a utilisation of existing spare capacity within schools, rental, temporary accommodation or other short-term measures, pending the delivery of permanent accommodation.

Where capacity issues arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by other factors. The Deputy mentioned the Minister wrote to him after Christmas and outlined the matter of the duplication of applications. The Deputy mentioned the principals say they have dealt with this and I will inform the Minister of that. That is a factor that is taken into account. The duplication of applications occurs when pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in an area. School of choice is another factor whereby pupils cannot get a place in their preferred school, while there are places in other schools in the town or area. Some towns or areas have single-sex schools, and while places are available in that school, they are not available to all pupils. An external draw also takes place, whereby pupils are coming from outside the local area.

Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, the Department has been engaging with patron bodies in east Cork to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year which may necessitate action. I heard the figure the Deputy mentioned. I understand this process is nearing completion and the schools in the area will be in a position to offer additional places in the coming weeks.

It is also open to patrons of schools to submit applications for additional interim accommodation to the Department for consideration should this be required.

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