Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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2. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in the provision of additional accommodation for a school to deal with the additional demand for places in first year next September and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23813/24]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I ask the Minister for an update on what is happening with Clarin College, Athenry, and the proposed additional accommodation that will be required to meet the demand of first-year students coming this September. I understand that Presentation College, Athenry, is also under severe pressure and that more than 60 students have been left on a waiting list to get into first year. It is urgent. What progress has been made in delivering that accommodation?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post-primary levels, including children and young people with special educational needs, is a priority for the Department. Since 2020, as I have previously outlined to the Deputy opposite, my Department has invested approximately €4.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of more than 800 school building projects. Construction is currently under way on approximately 300 other projects, which include 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently under construction involve a total State investment of more than €1.2 billion.

More than €150 million has been invested in school infrastructure in County Galway in since this Government came into being, reflecting a strong focus on the alignment of school place availability with the significant residential development which has taken place across the area. As the Deputy has referenced, two new 1,000 pupil post-primary school buildings have been recently provided in Athenry, namely, Presentation College and Clarin College. These have provided significant additional capacity in the town. The Department’s ongoing demographic analysis has identified a requirement for further additional post-primary capacity in Athenry.

In that context, the Department has been engaging with the patron of Clarin College, to which the Deputy referred, regarding the proposed expansion of the school to cater for 1,500 students and six classes for children with special educational needs. This close engagement is considering the overall medium-term accommodation requirements at the school and the school’s more immediate accommodation needs to facilitate the required growth in enrolments over the coming school years. My officials met last week with the school principal and patron and had a very productive discussion on the phased delivery of additional accommodation for the school, taking account of school place needs over the coming years.

With respect to September 2024, the Athenry school planning area is one of a number of areas of enrolment pressure at post-primary level for which the Department has received data on applications for admissions. Updated data on offers and acceptances continue to be received as admissions processes transact. I want to acknowledge that the sharing of this data by the relevant schools has been very effective in the identification of school place requirements across the area.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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At the outset, I must acknowledge that huge investment has gone into education facilities right across the county. The Minister was down there for the opening of the school we are discussing, as well as for that of Presentation College, Athenry. The problem is that there seems to be very short-sighted planning. I am not saying this about the Minister but am making a general comment. I say this because that was only officially opened last year, but this year we are down 60 places. The problem stems from the fact that people came in from outside areas to fill places. The problem I have now is that approximately 25 parents from the town have gotten in touch with me as their student is not guaranteed a place in first year in September. It is causing a huge amount of stress for families. There are ongoing discussions, which I acknowledge, in which the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board and the school principal are involved, but it is incumbent on us all to make sure that an announcement is made about what will be done to accommodate these children in Athenry in September.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I concede that construction on some of these projects began in 2018.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Yes.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since that time, we have seen an incredible influx of additional students coming from other places around the world, but also coming specifically into the area. I know these schools. I have visited and seen them. They are excellent schools that are doing great work and they deliver excellence in education every day. Some €150 million has been invested in Galway. There will be further investment as well. The Deputy has referenced the two schools.

I also want to make a point about the sharing of data. I want to acknowledge the co-operation we have received from the school on this, which has been quite phenomenal. That has indicated where there will be a shortfall going forward. As I said, we have already entered into discussions with Clarin College about raising its profile to 1,500. That will be done through staged development.

Specifically in relation to September 2024, we are engaging with the schools on the ground. Those places will be put in place to ensure that an appropriate number of places is available in the area. I again acknowledge the co-operation of everybody involved.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I take it from the Minister’s last remarks that these children will be accommodated next September in Athenry and that this will happen in Clarin College. That is most welcome. The parents need to know that is going to happen. The Minister mentioned the school principals, who work together in co-operation. They are there to produce the finest education they can. In fairness, the schools in Athenry are a credit to the Department and the school building unit, SBU. I have to acknowledge what we have achieved after a campaign.

As well as that, there is ongoing work on the new Gaelscoil campus in Athenry. However, we have to think ahead, because Dexcom is now building its 1,200-employee facility in Athenry. It is being built at the moment. We do not want to wait until it comes, because it will add more demand. This is important.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I will conclude by saying that the sharing of data has been really helpful. It has indicated that there has been a cross-duplication of applications which have been submitted to a number of schools. The Deputy has already referenced those that are coming into the area from outside.

As regards the specific Athenry-Oranmore local electoral area, between 2017 and 2022 the completion of the building of houses was 2.5 times greater than what had been achieved in the previous five-year period. The spurt in growth that has happened there is quite phenomenal. We are engaging and thanks to the co-operation of the principals the specific number that will be required going forward will become more apparent. We are committed to ensuring we will have those places for September 2024.