Ivana Bacik (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response and I welcome her comments about being committed to better planning. I also welcome that, from September, there will be 1,200 additional places. However, I did not hear from her any commitment as regards places in Dublin 2, 4, 6 or 6W. These are the areas where there is a pressing need for local places. Children are being bussed out of their areas. That is not acceptable and a source of immense frustration. It is to the detriment of those children and their families. There is no provision on the east side of Dublin Bay South around Ringsend and Sandymount, and well-established schools are not stepping up and providing the places that should be there for children in their local catchment areas. Despite the incentives that have been provided, there remains a serious issue of a shortage of places for children in these areas. Will the Minister of State provide a timeframe as to when more places will become available for children in Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 6W?