Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising the matter. It is an issue with which we are all familiar in our constituencies. I have a similar problem in my constituency. Students who have applied to the local school in Ennis, which their father or mother attended, find that the school enrolment is full. It is an issue for everybody and we need to try to deal with it in a structured way. I again apologise for the Minister, Deputy Bruton, not being available this morning. St. Declan's college made a good job of Senator Coffey, who is a past pupil. It is great to see that Waterford is taking to football as well as hurling.

I again thank the Senator for raising the matter, as it gives me the opportunity on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Bruton, to outline the status of an application for additional accommodation at St. Declan's community college in Kilmacthomas.

As the Senator mentioned, St. Declan's community college is a co-educational school catering for boys and girls. Enrolments have declined over recent years from 686 in 2012 to 663 students currently. The patron of the school is Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board.

The Department of Education and Skills received an application for major capital funding for additional school accommodation from Waterford and Wexford ETB. The Department has engaged with the ETB on the application and the ETB has advised that it intends submitting a revised application to the Department shortly.When received, the application will be considered and a decision conveyed to the ETB.

I understand there are eight primary schools in the school planning area in which St. Declan’s community college is located. An indicative analysis indicates that the school authority is enrolling pupils from a number of schools outside its school planning area. On school admissions, parents can choose to which school they wish to apply and, where it has places available, the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than the number of places available, a selection process may be necessary. The selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and applied fairly for all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

In order to plan for school provision, the demographic data for the Kilmacthomas school planning area, like other school planning areas nationwide, are being kept under ongoing review by the Department of Education and Skills to take account of updated child benefit and enrolment data. Where the demographic data indicate that additional provision is required, its delivery is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on circumstances, be delivered through either one or a combination of the following: utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools; extending the capacity of a school or schools; or the provision of a new school or schools.

I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister. I am well aware of the issue. As the Senator said, the school is a victim of its own success, given the fact that there are so many parents who want to send their children to a school that has done so well during the years. It is certainly an issue, on which, as I said, the Department is in touch with the school authorities. It is reviewing the position on enrolment.

I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position on the application for additional accommodation at St. Declan’s community college. The Department will continue to liaise with Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board on the school’s accommodation needs. I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister. As he said, the school is a victim of its own success.