James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the school building programme in County Cork; if she is satisfied with its progress to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31658/23]

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to get some information from the Department and Minister about what the intentions are regarding the school building programme, predominantly in my constituency of Cork East. It would be greatly helpful to get some degree of an update.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Through Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025 to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost 1 million students and more than 100,000 staff involved in the education sector.

The Department has a proven track record of delivery. During the period 2018 to 2022, just under 900 school buildings were completed. This includes nearly 100 building projects across County Cork and a total investment of more than €433 million in schools in the county. The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector are demographic change, including keeping pace with delivery of necessary special educational needs accommodation and accommodation for Ukrainian pupils, particularly at post-primary level, alignment with housing provision, obviously, and climate action objectives.

The Department completed more than 180 projects last year, including 20 in County Cork, within a challenging construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. This year alone, in excess of 300 school building projects are currently under construction, including 40 new school buildings and 260 projects at existing schools across the country. Some 25 school building projects are under construction in County Cork. There are a further 1,000 school building projects in the pipeline at various stages of planning and design and tender, of which 165 are projects in County Cork.

Where accelerated delivery of accommodation is required, the Department utilises its modular accommodation framework to provide critical mainstream school places and places for students with special educational needs. There are currently 33 projects in this area under way in County Cork.

In order to plan for school provision, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. A geographical information system is used to analyse data from a range of sources, including Central Statistics Office, CSO, census data and child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise.

Requirements for additional school places, including in County Cork, are kept under ongoing review. The Department will continue to work with patrons and school authorities to support the operation of the school system in Cork and across the country, adding necessary capacity to cater for special educational needs provision, mainstream classroom requirements and accommodation for students from Ukraine and other countries under the international protection system.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for the information. It is very helpful and beneficial that we know what is going on. I have worked hand-in-hand with the Minister since she became a member of Cabinet with responsibility in this area. However, we acknowledge that in east Cork, and particularly across Cork county, there is rapid population growth. For example, the Fermoy area now has a deficit of school places for the first time. We knew this was a big issue around the Carrigtwohill and Glanmire areas and down to Midleton, which Deputies Pádraig O'Sullivan and Stanton and I represent across our two respective constituencies. It is an area with enormous population growth. It is worrying to see this problem now in the Fermoy area and in Fermoy town. It is imperative that the Department's building unit and, hopefully, the Minister as well, can acknowledge that this population growth is causing problems and we need additional school places and to deliver the promised school projects, which are fantastic. They take some time to deliver, however. Progress has been made, but we are asking for further progress in areas where issues are now starting to occur for the first time.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I support my colleague, Deputy O'Connor, on his points. East Cork is a rapidly growing area. I have spoken with the Minister about the issue of about 40 students who do not have second level school places in Midleton. I know there are some in Fermoy as well. The schools have now closed and they have no place in September. I have written to the Minister about this and I am not sure what the answer is. I have also been tabling parliamentary questions over the last number of months. It has now reached a situation where we have parents who are really distraught with no place for their children. Will the Minister use her good offices to ensure places are made available and that contact is made with the schools as soon as possible?

The other issue I want to bring to the Minster's attention is that many schools in east Cork are getting very big. They are growing to 1,300 and 1,400 pupils. Is there a limit? As Deputy O'Connor also suggested, should we be looking at another second level school in east Cork, maybe an Educate Together school, in the Midleton-Carrigtwohill area? This brings in the discussion we had earlier on diversity and that whole issue.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I support my colleagues in the Chamber. It is an issue in east Cork but it is also an issue right across Cork city and county. I am dealing with families from Glanmire to Blarney to Ballincollig who do not have school places for their children. There are people on waiting lists. The problem now is that secondary schools are closed for the summer. Where is the contingency in order that there can be communication with parents? I am dealing with parents who do not know where their children are going to go. The schools are back in the last week of August, which is not that far away. A contingency plan needs to be put in place for those children and families so this can be worked through.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I add my voice to what the previous speakers said. I spent 15 years teaching in Cork city and the east Cork area. We have debated this issue with the Minister in the past. I echo the sentiments of both Deputies O'Connor and Stanton regarding the lack of places that are available. I understand the modelling will show there might be a fall off in 2026 or 2027.

There is definitely pressure at the moment. I got a phone call as late as yesterday evening to say a child had been offered a place but I know there are still dozens of children who do not have one, particularly in that north Cork area and east Cork, where there is particular pressure. That said, even the Cork Education and Training Board would say privately to us that an extra school is probably required in the greater east Cork area. I ask the Minister if she can clarify any assessment that has been taken in the last year to assess the need for that school.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank all Deputies. I reiterate that more than 300 building projects are under way, including 40 new school buildings and 260 projects at existing schools across the country. Twenty-five of those school buildings are based in County Cork. That is almost 9%. A further 1,000 school building projects are in the pipeline at various stages, of which 165 are in Cork, which is almost 17% of all the building projects that are happening. Equally, in the modular accommodation framework, 33 projects are under way in County Cork. County Cork is being significantly catered for with ambitious projects.

The Deputies raised specific issues on school places in the east Cork area. I acknowledge that there are difficulties with school of choice and availability of places in other schools too. That must be taken into consideration. In many instances, there is a preferred school but there are also other schools in the area that have availability. Notwithstanding that, we keep everything under review. I point to a particular example in the east Cork area, of Carrigtwohill Community College, CCC. The single biggest project of delivery of school buildings is happening in the three-school campus in Carrigtwohill. It is significant. I know my time is up and I will come back in.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister. That information is good and positive. I acknowledge the positives. It is great to see there are so many projects in the pipeline but the problem is that they are in the pipeline and we need to get them delivered. The Minister referred to one that is approaching delivering after a painful, arduous process, long pre-dating her own appointment as a Cabinet Minister. We are glad to see that happening. The Minister taught in Carrigtwohill and is familiar with that community. Back when she was in Carrigtwohill, the population of the village was about 1,400. It is expected that the population of Carrigtwohill could double from its existing size in the next ten to 15 years, which has already seen exponential growth from what it was in the early 2000s and late 1990s. These communities are just not the same as they were, with the original schools that were in place pre-dating the CCC's construction.

We desperately need to see an additional secondary school, perhaps looking at areas such as the greater Midleton area, whether is the east of Midleton, servicing Castlemartyr, Ladysbridge, Dungourney and the community in that area, or potentially looking at an additional school in the Midleton-Carrigtwohill region. That will be needed in the long term. It is all to do with population growth, growth in housing, growth in services, and an area that will, overall, see extraordinary population growth in the next ten years. We need to deal with that.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I have one brief question for the Minister. What do we say to the 40 young children who do not have secondary school places for September or August? What message can we give them? They have tried everything. The schools have waiting lists. They are all full. What can be done?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy O'Connor referred to Carrigtwohill, which I am familiar with, as he said, and the need for further development in that east Cork area. Looking at east Cork, it includes Christian Brothers School, St. Colman's Community College and St. Mary's High School Midleton as part of the programme.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Could I have the floor? Pobalscoil na Tríonóide in Youghal, Coláiste Muire and Carrignafoy Community College in Cobh and Dromahane National School in Mallow are part of the programme. I did not mention the Patrician Academy in Mallow. Scoil An Athar Tadhg in Carrignavar and Ringaskiddy Lower Harbour National School are part of the programme. I am saying there is considerable work and all of the schools that have been referenced have made considerable accommodation and additionality with regard to places. The Deputy referred to a specific number. It may well be the case going forward and I accept that there may be a requirement for an additional school in the area. That is kept under constant review by the Department. It is very much to the fore of my mind. Specifically on places, the Department is doing analysis of whether there are issues with school of choice or availability of places in other schools in the east Cork area the Deputy referred to.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Gannon has apologised. He will not be here for Question No. 90.