Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Requirements for school places are kept under ongoing review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. A geographical information system is used to analyse data drawn from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data. This analysis enables the Department 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 levels. The school planning areas in east Cork include Midleton, Carrigtwohill, Fermoy, Cobh, Youghal and Mitchelstown.

Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, the Department of Education also monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested over €544 million across 104 projects of various scales in County Cork. This includes a number of significant projects in east Cork, as the Deputy referred to, such as the recently completed project at Carrigtwohill post-primary school, which delivered a new, modern 1,000-pupil permanent school building. An extension to St. Colman's Community College in Midleton has also been recently completed to cater for up to 1,000 pupils. Other projects being advanced in east Cork include expanded capacity at the Christian Brothers Secondary School and St. Mary's High School in Midleton. In addition, St. Aloysius College, Carrigtwohill will expand to cater for 1,000 pupils, while Pobalscoil na Tríonóide in Youghal will cater for 1,200 pupils, and Coláiste Mhuire and Carrignafoy Community College, both in Cobh, will cater for 600 and over 700 pupils respectively.

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