Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have an opportunity to raise with the Minister of State, Deputy Ciarán Cannon, the need to plan for the provision of more primary school places in the Greystones, Kilcoole and Delgany areas. The population of the town of Greystones has increased significantly in recent years. According to the CSO, the most recent census found that more than 10,000 people lived in the town. The local electoral area which encompasses Greystones, Delgany, Kilcoole and Newcastle now has a population closer to 25,000. The population of the area was approximately one fifth smaller when the previous census was taken in 2006. The locality has, therefore, seen a sizeable increase in population. Approximately 17% of the people of Greystones are aged 12 years or less, according to the census. That figure increases to approximately 20% in the case of the local electoral area. Clearly, this highlights the extent of the pressure being placed on parents and schools in the greater Greystones area.

It is regrettable that this problem has developed, given that it must have been known that a population bulge would result from the construction of a new housing area - Charlesland - just outside Greystones. Land in the Charlesland area was specifically zoned for a school. To this day, it baffles me that the school was not developed as a condition of the planning permission. It continues to be badly needed and the failure to develop it is putting huge pressure on the existing schools in the town. I have been inundated with calls and e-mails from concerned parents and teachers in the wider Greystones area who are very concerned about this difficulty. Their views were summed up by a parent who told me "the problem seems to be bigger than I can tackle and I am at a loss as to what to do." The parent in question is getting "little or no constructive advice to secure a place or a solution to this problem in Greystones." There are solutions within the existing school infrastructure and there are also longer term solutions.

I would like to ask the Minister of State two questions, the first of which relates to the short term and the second of which relates to the medium term. What are we going to do to make sure we can meet the demands of every local child of schoolgoing age in Greystones, Delgany and Kilcoole this coming September? What are we going to do in the medium and longer terms? The schools in Greystones, Kilcoole and Delgany cannot be run on a September to September basis. That would not be fair on principals, schools, boards of management or parents and their young children as they wait for school places. We have a number of options, some of which involve extensions, land acquisitions and new schools. I hope this evening we can begin the dialogue on how to address these problems.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am responding on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn.

It is more than coincidental that Deputy Simon Harris has tabled this issue for debate once again. He has been in communication with me on the matter on a number of occasions in the past 12 months. As he will be aware, the Minister announced in June 2011 that 20 new primary and 20 new post-primary schools were to be established up to 2016 in a number of locations to cater for increased pupil numbers. Greystones and Kilcoole were not identified among the areas that required new schools in that period. However, it should be noted that two new schools - Gaelscoil na Clocha Liatha and Greystones Educate Together - opened on the same campus in Greystones in September 2008. Accommodation is being provided under my Department's rapid delivery programme for 2013. A new 16-classroom school is being provided for Greystones Educate Together. It is at the tender and planning permission stage. Subject to statutory approvals and no issues arising, the indicative date for delivery of these classrooms is September 2013. Gaelscoil na Clocha Liatha which has an eight-classroom building will take over the eight-classroom building currently occupied by Greystones Educate Together, thereby providing it with overall accommodation of 16 classrooms. The overall additionally to be provided on the campus is 15 classrooms.

The project at Kilcoole primary school represents the amalgamation of the former St. Anthony's boys school and the former St. Brigid's girls school. It is currently a 16-classroom facility. The junior classes are accommodated in the St. Brigid's building, while the senior classes are located in the St. Anthony's boys' school building. The project is included in the 2015-16 programme to proceed to tender and construction. The proposal is to extend each building by providing four additional classrooms with associated ancillary accommodation in each case. There will be an increase from eight to 12 classrooms in each building. The process of appointing a design team for the project recently commenced with invitation to tender letters being issued to the consultants in the Department of Education and Skills large schools framework.

In relation to the Greystones and Kilcoole area, officials in my Department met a delegation of principals from Greystones last month in an effort to ensure any additional needs from September 2013 would be fully catered for. The Department has sanctioned funding to provide four additional classrooms in neighbouring schools in Greystones to meet accommodation needs from September. It is continuing to liaise with patron bodies on increased provision as the need arises. In addition, the management of Kilcoole national school has applied to the Department for additional temporary accommodation. The Department will be in contact with the school in this regard shortly. The forward planning section of my Department will continue to analyse all areas of the country on an ongoing basis to establish where needs are beginning to emerge.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response which will provide a great deal of detail and clarity for many parents in the Greystones, Kilcoole and Delgany areas. I particularly welcome the progress being made with regard to the Greystones Educate Together school and the additional classroom space that will be made available to Gaelscoil na Clocha Liatha. I ask the Minister of State to take back to the officials in the Department of Education and Skills a number of options that need to be considered on a more ongoing basis. A number of well established schools in Greystones are having to turn students away each year. It is obvious that there is an element of parental choice in this regard. We need to make sure places are provided in locations that match the needs and choices of parents. The decision to sanction an extension at Kilcoole primary school is great news for the village. As it will not proceed until 2015, however, there is significant concern in Kilcoole that the waiting time is too long. I welcome the Department's decision to consider the provision of temporary accommodation at the school. I suggest the Department's forward planning section look at the project's date of delivery and consider whether there is room to move it forward. That is important. I would like the Minister of State to ask his officials to look at the catchment areas of existing schools. The boundaries of the town of Greystones have expanded significantly in recent years, but the enrolment policies of the schools of the town continue to reflect parish boundaries. The Department needs to have a conversation with the patron bodies on this matter. If we are to examine the expansion of some existing schools, the Department should initiate a conversation with them about the prospect of land acquisition, where that possibility arises into the future.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will take on board all of the recommendations and suggestions made by the Deputy. As he is aware, it is envisaged that the number of children in the school system will increase by approximately 75,000 between now and 2017. When the Department is determining where exactly the demographic challenges will arise, it is able to avail of excellent data from the CSO and the children's allowance records of the Department of Social Protection.

Very scientific and ongoing research is taking place to ensure these demographic challenges will be met in a timely manner in the future.