Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Keogan for the opportunity to have this conversation. I assure the Senator that I do not want to upend the Taoiseach, as he is a higher authority than me, but I will try to give the Senator as positive a reply as possible. It is important that we are discussing education when there are seven young students in the Visitors Gallery from County Meath. A lot of them like cycling bicycles to school even though they are all in primary school. It is great to have them here. We have a teacher from St. Patrick's as well, so it is an important time to talk about education in Meath. It is under pressure.

The Minister, Deputy Foley, sends her apologies that she could not be here as she is at a Cabinet meeting. She is very committed to making sure that schools are in the right place at the right time. That is the issue being raised by the Senator regarding the position in Duleek, County Meath, and the need for a new school there to cater for the number of students in Duleek and the surrounding areas. I think the Senator mentioned most of the townlands. It shows the significance of the pressure in that growing area. The census will record a greatly increased population in Meath East as well, which would be served by the school the Senator mentioned.

To plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, GIS, using data from a range of sources, including child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary levels. Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, the Department gathers up-to-date information on significant new residential developments in each local authority area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes. Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets also inform the Department’s projections of school place requirements. The Department’s use of GIS additionally facilitates the identification of more localised pressure points within an overall school planning area. As in the area of Duleek, it can focus on what is happening in a small area as well.

Where data indicate that additional provision is required at primary or post-primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided 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, which happened back 2018 and 2019 in this area; or provision of a new school or schools.

Duleek is in the Drogheda school planning area and, as the Senator is aware, based on previous demographic analysis a new-post primary school to serve the Drogheda and Laytown school planning areas, Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School, was established in 2019 and a project to provide a new school building to accommodate 1,000 pupils and four classrooms for pupils with special educational needs is in train. The Department is also providing significant capital funding at other post-primary schools in the Drogheda school planning area, including extension projects at St. Oliver’s Community College, Sacred Heart Secondary School, St. Mary’s Diocesan School and St. Joseph’s CBS.

In respect of the Senator’s reference to the preliminary census 2022 results, the Department has noted this information and looks forward to further elaboration from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, on these in 2023, including with regard to the age profile of the population which is of relevance in respect of children of schoolgoing age. The Department’s most recent demographic analysis from 2021 indicates that current and planned post-primary provision in the Drogheda school planning area is sufficient to meet the projected requirement for school places. However, a refreshed process is currently under way for 2022 and will have regard to updated information concerning school enrolments, population statistics and planned additional housing, as well as enrolment of Ukrainian children and existing capacity in schools. The Senator mentioned that over 400 Ukrainian children have entered schools so it is important that this is captured in the data as well. School place requirements in the Drogheda school planning area, and specifically in the Duleek area, will continue to be kept under review, informed by this updated information.

I am familiar with the area of Duleek and the county generally, so I totally understand the pressure on the education system when it comes to numbers. In addition, there is the movement of people into Drogheda, Navan and up to Dunshaughlin and Ashbourne, so the entire area is under pressure for school places. The Senator is right to call for a review and for Duleek to be examined specifically. In my view, it would make sense and I believe the figures might support that. I am glad the Department is reviewing the figures and will have updated information on that, probably by this time next year for 2023, to inform decisions thereafter.