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

I again thank Deputy Costello for raising this important matter on behalf of his constituency in Dublin 8 and, more particularly, the children currently in primary school and moving into secondary school. The Department's position is that new schools are established on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area and only after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand. The process for the establishment of a new school gives interested patrons the opportunity to apply for proposed new schools and gives parents the opportunity to express preferences for their preferred choice of ethos.

I will refer again to the logic and methodology behind the new school in Sandymount. It is a co-educational Educate Together school. It is multidenominational and was established to serve not only Dublin 8 but also pupils in Dublin 2, 4 and 6 as a regional solution. It is currently open, and up and running.

I will take the point the Deputy raised on behalf of his constituents back to the Minister for Education and the Department. It is important in all circumstances that we provide the necessary educational infrastructure.

On the process here, the Department looks at the demographics and has set up a regional solution model which would serve the needs of Dublin 8, as well as those of Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Dublin 6 and Clonskeagh. On the point the Deputy highlighted, I will take the matter back to the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley.

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