James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for being here so late at 11.50 p.m. Three days from now will mark the fifth month since the Government's formation. Since her appointment to the Cabinet, I have engaged with the Minister on the school capacity problem in east Cork. Without doubt, it is one of the worst capacity problems in the country. Approximately 100 children in my constituency are without a school place for the second year in a row. The issue rose to prominence around this time last year when I was first elected to Cork County Council. When engaging with parents, teachers and students, I found the upset and anger on the ground all around my constituency extraordinary. This was particularly the case among parents living in the Midleton and Carrigtwohill areas as well as the small towns and villages in rural communities surrounding that part of my constituency. The Minister is familiar with that part of the world from her time as a teacher.

This problem is concerning. Both of us inherited a mess in the sense that, under previous Governments, little action was taken by what is now the Department of Education to foresee the current situation. From my discussions with highly experienced educators in my constituency, areas in Cork East have been badly affected by the failure to consider data from the Central Statistics Office and instead used housing data, which were not reflective of the population statistics in Cork. Cork has one of the youngest populations in the country. Cork East, which I am proud to represent, has a 10% growth rate. The national rate is 3% to 4%, although that changes each year. This has caused a major problem, one that is stressful for the children, their teachers and their schools.

We must recognise that the schools have been put in a difficult position. There is no doubting that. They have dealt with the situation in the most diligent way possible. In discussing this matter in the Dáil, it is imperative to acknowledge the work being done by principals, teachers, boards of management and parents' associations across east Cork. There is serious pressure on them to try to accommodate the children.

I must be fair. I have worked with the Minister and she has been diligent in her responses to me so far, but frustration is now boiling over in east Cork. Parents want answers as to where their children will get school places. They expect me as their local Deputy to provide them with answers, which is only fair, and I am here with the Minister so late at night to try to get those answers.

It would be beneficial were the Department to examine east Cork and acknowledge the situation on the ground. An increasing number of housing developments will be built throughout east Cork. A new town is even being planned at Water-rock. The Department needs to see this situation for the emergency it is and treat it with the urgency it deserves. Will the Minister visit east Cork to meet the principals, parents' associations representatives and boards of management so that she can have a better understanding of the situation on the ground?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position regarding school developments in east Cork. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, GIS. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including child benefit data from the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own school enrolment databases, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise.

The process has been strengthened this year through three specific initiatives, the first of which is enhanced engagement with local authorities in respect of the information on residential development incorporated in the analysis process. The second initiative entails additional engagement on school place requirements with patron bodies regarding their local knowledge. Education and training boards, ETBs, diocesan offices and national patron bodies such as Educate Together, An Foras Pátrúnachta and so on can also be important sources of local knowledge. This will add to information provided to the Department by local authorities or individual schools. The third initiative involves utilising the information gleaned from schools under the national inventory of school capacity completed by individual schools last year as part of the October returns process.

Where data indicate that additional provision is required at primary or post-primary level, its delivery is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following: utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools; extending the capacity of a school or schools; or the provision of a new school or schools.

Similar to the process adopted for September 2020 readiness, the Department will engage further with patron bodies in the coming weeks in advance of identifying specific September 2021 capacity pressure point priorities that will necessitate specific action. In a "normal" year, addressing the increased demands for school places, while challenging, is manageable, generally through utilisation of existing spare capacity within schools, rental, temporary accommodation or other short-term measures pending the delivery of permanent accommodation.

Building projects are in train or proposed for a number of post-primary schools in Cork East, which is the area of specific interest to the Deputy. Carrigtwohill Community College is a co-educational post-primary school established in 2016. It is currently located in temporary accommodation pending the construction of a permanent school building. The new school building will have capacity for 1,000 pupils. It is at stage 2b of the architectural planning process and planning permission has been granted. Pending the construction of the permanent building, the Department has approved additional temporary accommodation to cater for the school's immediate needs. This project is part of a new three-school campus development in Carrigtwohill. The other two schools to be located on the campus are Scoil Chlíodhna and Scoil Mhuire Naofa.

St. Aloysius's College, Carrigtwohill, is an all-girls post-primary school with an enrolment of 776 for the 2019-20 school year. The Department has approved a grant to the school to facilitate its expansion to cater for 1,000 pupils. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.

St. Colman's Community College, Midleton, is a co-educational post-primary school with an enrolment of 775 pupils for the 2019-20 school year. A building project for the school that will provide capacity for 1,000 pupils is currently on site and is due to be completed in the coming weeks.

Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, is a co-educational post-primary school with an enrolment of 977 pupils for the 2019-20 school year. The Department has approved a grant to the school to facilitate its expansion to cater for 1,200 pupils. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.

Carrignafoy Community College, Cobh, is a co-educational post-primary school with an enrolment of 321 pupils for the 2019-20 school year. A building project to expand the school's capacity to cater for 600 pupils is at the early stage of the architectural planning process. The project is being delivered by the patron, Cork ETB.

Coláiste Muire, Cobh, is a co-educational school with an enrolment of 666 pupils for the 2019-20 school year. An application for additional accommodation has been received from the school and is under assessment in the Department. A decision on the application will be conveyed to the school authority when the assessment process has been completed.

St. Mary's High School, Midleton, is an all-girls post-primary school with an enrolment of 718 pupils for the 2019-20 school year. An application for additional accommodation has been received by the Department and is under assessment. A decision on the application will be conveyed to the school authority when the assessment process has been completed.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Minister, but I have to stop her there.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for referencing the first project she mentioned, that of the school complex in Carrigtwohill. I have engaged with the parents' association there a great deal. As the Minister knows, this has been an arduous and long process, one that has been plagued by numerous issues for many years. Is there an update further to what the Minister outlined to me previously? Will she be in a position to travel to the Cork East constituency in the near future to discuss this matter with representatives of the school, the principal, the board of management and the parents' association?

That move would be greatly appreciated. It is needed. From my perspective as a local Deputy, I would be absolutely indebted to the Minister if she was able to fulfil such a commitment.

In terms of the Educate Together patronage, I am glad to hear the Minister referenced it because there is a lot of work going on in the Educate Together group in Midleton on the possibility of establishing an additional secondary school for which there is demand. Demand is why we are in this situation. Quite frankly, there are too few school places available in east Cork. As a Government we have to bite the bullet, acknowledge the problem and put coherent steps in place to try to deal with it over the next number of years.

Parents, students and teachers accept that this will not be fixed overnight but we have to be able to say to them that we have a plan. I am glad that the Minister has outlined multiple different school projects throughout east Cork, including Midleton, Youghal and Carrigtwohill, but we need to show a degree of ambition in addition to what the Minister outlined and accept that we need an additional school. We also need to ensure that the staff, teachers and current and future pupils in Carrigtwohill Community College and the primary schools that will come along with that development make sure that the Department of Education brings the project to fruition after the wait they have had. It has been a horrendously difficult experience for many people in the community. As a Deputy representing the area, I will be very grateful if that could be given urgent attention by the Department.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As I previously outlined, there has been considerable development in the Cork East area. In respect of the primary schools in the area the building project for Scoil Chlíodhna, Carrigtwohill, a co-educational community national school, which will provide permanent accommodation for the school is currently at stage 2B of the architectural planning process. The building project, when completed, will provide capacity for 24 classrooms.

Scoil Mhuire Naofa, Carrigtwohill, is a co-educational primary school. A building project for the school is currently at stage 2B of the architectural planning process. The building project, when completed, will provide capacity for 24 classrooms.

Scoil Chlochair Mhuire, Carrigtwohill, is a co-educational primary school. An extension of the school to provide capacity for a 16 classroom school is proposed. The project is currently at the preparation of the accommodation brief stage.

Scoil An Athar Tadhg, Carrignavar, is a co-educational primary school. A major building project to provide a new 16 classroom school is currently at stage 2B of the architectural planning process.

It is also, of course, open to the patrons of schools to submit an application for additional interim accommodation to the Department for consideration. should it be required. I want to thank the Deputy for raising the issue of accommodation in east Cork. The Department is concerned to ensure that sufficient capacity is in place to meet the needs of schools throughout this area, through the delivery of the building projects that are planned or those that are in train, as well as through the Department's engagement with patron bodies in identifying specific capacity pressure priorities for September 2021, which will necessitate specific action.

In regard to the Carrigtwohill issue raised by the Deputy, he is aware that it is part of the bundle for the first quarter of 2021 and will be expedited as quickly as possible. I will of course continue to work with the Deputy on an ongoing basis. I know all of these projects are of particular interest to him and I commend him on his diligence and ongoing interest in delivering these projects for the east Cork area.