Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Clearly, if the population increases and the numbers attending this school increase and so forth, as more schools are allocated the Department will have to consider additional accommodation on that ground. However, on the basis of the current stable numbers in the application, the Department is probably looking at this against the background that it will have to deliver perhaps 18,000 extra places this year so it is confined to concentrating on schools that have a clearly identified need. That is the backdrop against which any application is assessed.

That said, the Department recognises that there are particular features in this school that make it difficult. I cannot anticipate what conclusion the Department will reach as it is assessing the application. However, it has given me that level of insight into how it is assessing it. Hopefully, it will be able to revert to the school and some progress can be made over time on what is recognised as a difficulty.