Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to fulfil the programme for Government pledge to roll out common application systems; the progress made on establishing a common applications process for secondary school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17560/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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For the first time, common application processes are included in the programme for Government, which is great. If there are not enough school places in an area, a common applications process, CAP, cannot make up for that. It will streamline the enrolment process for families, some of whom face months of stress waiting to find out if their child has secured a place in their local school. Will the Minister update me on the common application trial, which principals in Dublin 15 are spearheading for children with additional needs, the Department's involvement and her plans to implement a CAP for secondary schools, which is very much needed in Dublin West?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We are not going to go over time with every question. I ask Deputies to please stick to their times and prepare properly.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

At the outset, we have to ensure we have the capacity there for any of these types of new application systems to work. My Department has a very significant capital programme, which is providing additional capacity around the country. Since 2020, €5.8 billion has been invested in our schools, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. Additionally, we are working very closely with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient places available each year. What is key to this, the new online system and the new application system is good data-sharing between schools and my Department is working on that as well.

On the roll-out of the programme for the senior cycle, a number of pilots are operating. Common application systems are in place in a small number of specific areas, such as at post-primary level in Limerick and Ennis and for primary special classes in Dublin 15. A report is due to come back to me through the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, for the Dublin 15 area, but judging by the work that is being done at secondary level, there are benefits. There are clear challenges where not every school in an area is signed up to a common application system, and that is the point we need to get to.

For the Dublin 15 area, I commend Deputy Currie, in particular, and those on the Dublin 15 task force, including parents, teachers, principals, the NCSE and many others, who have been working to develop the common application system. What they need to do now, and they will be supported in this through the Department and the NCSE, is move onto the next stage, having completed the first year of this programme. The feedback so far is positive, but for this to work effectively we need more schools to be part of this overall experience. The Department is taking lessons from the secondary school trial, with a view to developing a new commitment for a national system. A pilot expanding on the ones that are happening in Limerick and Ennis will start in 2026 and 2027.

This is about making sure we have the best system possible so that stress is removed from parents, and in particular from those who have children with additional needs.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. Yes, we have our trial in Dublin 15 and I commend the principals on it. There are 13 schools involved but with the support of the Department, it can be scaled up. The trial done for secondary schools is being run independently, and with the Department's involvement it can be piloted in other areas, such as Dublin West, as a project. As I have said, when it comes to the common applications process we still need sufficient places. Will the Minister give an update on the autism classes for September 2025? Five primary school classes and four secondary school classes have been approved. We have another emerging issue in Dublin West, whereby parents might secure a place but the modular buildings have not been put in place for the school year. I would particularly like an update on Danu Community Special School.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I assure the Deputy we will be building on the two pilots I have mentioned for secondary schools, taking lessons and experience from them, and starting a pilot for the next school year, 2026-27, with the hope and ambition to roll it out further. We need to make sure we have the ability to share as much data as possible so all of our school systems are updated and all the schools in a particular area are involved and part of the overall pilot. This work is under way.

With regard to Danu Community Special School in particular, I assure the Deputy it is a priority for the Department to provide a permanent building. There was a request for the modular accommodation that is needed. The project management team is making arrangements, specifically trying to identify and ascertain the fire certificate and the disability access certificate. The first tranche of funding has been put in place and it is at preconstruction stage, whereby the contractor is modifying the modular accommodation off-site. All of this work is happening and progressing as quickly as possible. It is anticipated that construction on the site will commence during the school term. Progress is being made and we want to see it in place as soon as possible while the new build is being put in place.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. The truth of the matter is that parents go through a rollercoaster to secure a school place in Dublin West. There are lengthy waiting lists that have to drop in order for children to attend school and it is very stressful. A new secondary school in Hollywoodrath is excellent news for the Blanchardstown and Mulhuddart school areas but not when it is at the expense of the new school that opened in Barnwell, Hansfield. We need both schools. I do not trust the figures from the Department that justify this move. The Department states there is significant movement across the school areas, with 60% of students leaving the Blanchardstown and Mulhuddart areas to go to other school areas, with 33% leaving the Blanchardstown school area. This does not take into consideration one of the problems with our admissions policies, whereby some deal with catchments while others deal with feeder schools. Many of the children in the area are in feeder schools.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of this issue because it has been raised previously, including by the Deputy. The information we have in the Department very clearly shows approximately 1,000 pupils move outside Dublin 15 on a daily basis to go to schools in the surrounding areas. This is obviously putting pressure on those schools. The view is the development of the new school, which I know is temporarily placed elsewhere, and moving it back into the Mulhuddart and Tyrrelstown area where the problem is most acute will resolve many of the pressures placed on surrounding schools. We have to work with the data we have. We have to work on the basis of where we see movement and where we see enrolment happening. This has to be kept under constant review. If it is the case that demographics change, or the school moves to have the permanent build in the Mulhuddart and Tyrrelstown area, but there still continues to be pressure in other areas, then there needs to be a very rapid response. The information and the data the Department has, which it has to work with, shows this should create a relief, particularly for those schools that are significantly under pressure.