Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2024-25, I assure families and all children who require a school place that such a place will be provided for them for the 2024-25 school year. I do not, for one minute, underestimate the challenges and stress families are facing but we are clear that positions will be made available for students for the 2024-25 school year.

Since 2020, the Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, including investment in the completion of over 800 school building projects. Construction is currently under way on approximately 300 other projects, including 34 new school buildings. It is an absolute priority of the Department to ensure every child in the State has access to a school place that is appropriate to his or her needs and we are continually investing in existing and new schools to ensure this is the case. Testament to this is that in response to demographic growth at post-primary level, school building projects completed in 2023 delivered over 7,000 additional mainstream post-primary school places. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for school communities.

This capital investment is underpinned by a robust school planning approach that uses a geographical information system to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including child benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity, is utilised for this purpose. In addition, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform the Department’s projections of school place requirements.

There are 1 million learners across 4,000 primary and post-primary schools. Based on primary level enrolments, growth in post-primary enrolments is projected to continue in many parts of the country. In addition, due to strong residential construction and planning activity, we can expect to see increasing demand in particular towns and areas.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

In the area of special education, the National Council for Special Education has forecast continued significant growth in the requirements for special classes at post-primary level and my Department is working towards the provision of an average of four special classes in every post-primary school. To meet these requirements, the Department has 450 large-scale and additional school accommodation scheme projects at various stages of planning and delivery at post-primary schools across the country. Furthermore, where a requirement is identified for expedited delivery of additional capacity, my Department utilises modern methods of construction, including its modular accommodation framework, to provide required accommodation.

While there can be enrolment pressures in some areas, it is important to note this may sometimes not be a result of a lack of accommodation but may be driven by factors such as the duplication of applications and applications from outside the local area. Notwithstanding this, in some areas there can be an underlying requirement for additional school places. In that context, as part of planning for September 2024, data on applications for admission is being shared with my Department by post-primary schools across areas of enrolment pressure. The sharing of this data has been very effective in the identification of school place requirements.

In the majority of areas, through the work of schools, patrons, management bodies and the Department, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area. The Department is working with schools and patrons to make additional places available in areas where a need for more places has been identified.

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