Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

The Department uses existing enrolment and the demographic data gained through the GIS system using DSP records. This will show the number of children of varying ages from zero to school-going age. The Department uses this data to plan for primary school provision and also for post-primary provision in the area. I can only conclude that the Department has used that data to determine what is sufficient capacity in junior infants classes across Ashbourne next September and that it will have apportioned those places across the whole school-going population in order to serve the needs of those who wish to attend schools with a Catholic ethos and those who wish to attend schools with a multi-denominational ethos. If the Senator is saying that in his opinion more children will turn up than can be accommodated in the seven infant classes last year, I am willing to take on board that concern on his behalf and seek clarification from the forward planning unit.