Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Costello for raising this important matter. I am pleased to have the opportunity to describe how the Department of Education plans for new schools and increasing diversity of provision. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley.

The Deputy raises specific issues on behalf of his constituents in Dublin 8. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. It uses a geographic information system drawing data from a range of sources, including child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.

The requirement for additional school places is kept under ongoing review in the context of available information on population from census data, enrolments and capacity of existing schools. In addition, major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. As part of the demographic exercise, the Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain up-to-date data and information on significant new residential developments in each area. This is necessary to ensure that school infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.

The 2022 demographic exercise indicates that 85% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level show static or decreasing enrolments for the period to 2026 compared with 2021. At post-primary level, 74% of school planning areas are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2029, with most expected to reach a peak within the next two or three years.

If additional accommodation is required, the aim is to try to facilitate that, as much as possible, by way of expanding existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with the wider Government objective of placing increasing emphasis on compact growth under Project Ireland 2040. New post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 to 1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish medium unit in an English medium school.

New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth, as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to ensure every child has a school place. When the Department announces a new school is required, it is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to submit an application to the Department for patronage of the new school. An online patronage process system has been operational since 2018.

As my time is limited, I will now provide the most pertinent information. The most recent projections for the Dublin 8 planning area indicate an increase in enrolments at primary level up to 2026 and decreasing thereafter. At post-primary level, the recent projections for the Dublin 8 school planning area indicate a slight increase in enrolments at post-primary level up to 2031 followed by a projected reduction in enrolments thereafter. A new co-educational, multidenominational post-primary school under the patronage of Educate Together was established in Sandymount Park to serve the Dublin 8 school planning area, along with the Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Dublin 6 and Clonskeagh school planning areas as a regional solution. In 2018, the school opened in interim accommodation and the major project, which will provide for a 1,000-pupil school when complete, is currently at tender stage. This new school will reduce pressure on enrolments in schools in the Dublin 8 school planning area, as well as adding to the diversity of ethos provision in the area.

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