Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank Senator Darragh O'Brien for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the current position with regard to Gaelscoil Ros Eo, Rush, County Dublin. In April 2008, under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge, the school was granted provisional recognition, with effect from September 2008, following on from the report and recommendations of the new schools advisory committee on the recognition of new primary schools for 2008.

An application for permanent recognition was submitted by the school to the Department on 5 November 2010 but was refused on the basis that it did not satisfy the necessary requirement of having a minimum of 17 junior infants enrolled for three consecutive school years. The gaelscoil was notified of the Department's decision and advised that its temporary recognition would be extended and the matter reviewed again when the pupil enrolment position for the current school year 2011-12 was available. On the basis of the increase in school pupil enrolments that has been returned by the gaelscoil, the Department arranged for an inspector's visit to the school, which took place recently. A decision on the matter of granting permanent recognition will be conveyed to the gaelscoil when the inspector's report is received.

My Department has carried out a study to identify the areas of the State where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels in the coming years. In that regard, it has been determined that the number of pupils at primary level is projected to increase nationally from a current enrolment of 510,000 pupils to approximately 540,000 by 2014, with a further increase to 553,000 pupils by 2018. That is an increase in the primary sector of 43,000 pupils over the current levels.

In determining where additional school accommodation is required, the Department has identified the greater Dublin region, including the Rush area, as one of the likely locations of such pupil enrolment increases. In that context, the Department recently approved the rental of an additional temporary mainstream classroom to Gaelscoil Ros Eo to cater for increased enrolments at the school. Given the projected increases in pupil enrolments in the Rush area, the Department will continue to work with the gaelscoil to address its accommodation requirements.