Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact that Census 2011 will have on his Department's school building programme; the likely impact on teaching numbers at both primary and post primary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19410/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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We had envisaged that there would be increases of more than 45,000 primary school pupils and 24,900 post-primary pupils, excluding post-leaving certificate students, between now and 2018. The 2011 census did not change that. We have to provide new schools and extensions to existing schools as well as additional teachers to cater for the increased number of pupils. Detailed analysis is being finalised by my Department. Action plans are being drawn up for each area to determine the level of additional school capacity which will be required up to 2017. Detailed data from the 2011 census will feed into this analysis when such information is available next year. I recently announced that at least 40 new schools - 20 primary schools and 20 post-primary schools - are to be established in the next six years. Many existing schools need to be extended. My Department is prioritising this work at the moment.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I am pleased to hear that the Department's projections are up to date and in line with the preliminary census findings. We all welcome the 8% increase in the population of the State since 2006 that was highlighted in the preliminary findings. I was glad to hear that the population of my own county, which is very rural, has increased by 14%. It is very welcome in light of the prevalence of emigration in County Cavan over the decades. Another positive aspect of the preliminary population returns is the fact that Ireland has the youngest age profile and the fewest dependent older people in the EU. Many other member states are very concerned about the age profile trends in those countries. In light of the preliminary data that are available, are the Minister and the Department satisfied that the recently announced school building programme, which specified the locations of the primary and post-primary schools that will be built, will meet the needs of new and emerging areas with large young and schoolgoing populations?

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I am satisfied that it will do so. I am not sure if the Deputies opposite have had an opportunity to examine the new geographical information storage system which tracks the locations where child benefit, for example, is paid. I will raise it at the relevant committee of the House to ensure the system is available to every Member. Deputy Wallace might be interested in it. We now know the geographical location where every child benefit payment is made. The system can provide information on the age profile and physical location of child benefit recipients. On the basis of that identification and other material, we are able to locate the areas that have younger populations. That will allow us to avoid the problem that developed in north County Dublin seven or eight years ago.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to have personal access to any data the Minister can make available to the Opposition.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I will have that arranged.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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It is very good that the system has been put in place. Are difficulties arising because mature areas have surplus primary and post-primary accommodation? Such areas may be contiguous to developing areas. Is it possible for such additional accommodation to be used to cater for emerging needs?

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Two separate issues arise from the Deputy's question. Parents in built-up areas might prefer to send their child to a gaelscoil or an Educate Together school but cannot do so. They might prefer the local Church of Ireland school, but it might be full because its numbers have grown and it is obliged to give priority to members of the Church of Ireland community. Such parents might end up having to send their children to second-choice schools. We are prioritising needs that are caused by net additional population demand. We do not yet have the sort of information the Deputy is looking for. Paradoxically, there is a massive excess of demand for certain kinds of schools, including gaelscoileanna and Educate Together schools, in areas that are considered to be mature, including parts of my constituency of Dublin South-East. At the end of the expression of demand process, most if not all children find places in existing schools, although not necessarily in the location their parents would have chosen or with the kind of ethos they would have preferred.