Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the office of the Cathaoirleach for choosing this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to the Chamber. I had hoped that the senior Minister might be here but I appreciate that the Deputy is a Minister of State in the Department of Education and I thank her for her attendance here this morning.

The 2022 census showed that the population of Galway county and city was some 277,737 people and that the population of Galway city was 84,414. As those are the 2022 figures, they have increased over the past year so we are already one year out of date. We know from principals across Galway city and county that Clarin College and Presentation College in Athenry are at full capacity. The new school in Claregalway is at capacity and the new Educate Together school is awaiting a permanent site in the Oranmore area. Calasanctius College is at capacity while St. Joseph's Patrician College, known as the Bish, is in the planning system. St. Paul's Secondary School in Oughterard, Salerno Secondary School, Taylor's Hill school and Coláiste Muire Máthair all have waiting lists for this academic year as per a number of weeks ago and the prognosis is that demand will increase again.In the words of one school principal, there will be a chronic shortage of school places next September in Galway. Action and solutions are needed immediately. It is clear there is insufficient capacity within the second level education system in Galway city and its environs.

I raised this a couple of years ago in this House. The response from the Minister of State was that things were fine and there was sufficient capacity. It is clear now that this is not the case and will not be next September. That is worrying because I have dealt over the summer with an increasing number of parents who had children on waiting lists and spoke of the trauma and stress of that for the children and, maybe more so, for the parents. They told stories of children talking of what schools they would go to and certain individuals had no school to go to yet and did not know. It can take months and can be an issue up to the end of August or September. I know of a couple of children, one new to the area and one long-time resident, who did not get a place in Galway this September. They are not receiving an education. They are being homeschooled because there is no place for them in Galway. There is a need for additional capacity, including a new secondary school in the west of the city, such as in Maigh Cuilinn, and a new Gaelcholáiste and new secondary school on the east of the city. Galway’s population will continue to grow, particularly the city, its environs, Maigh Cuilinn, Bearna, Oranmore, Claregalway and all the areas out to Athenry.

This September there were unprecedented challenges in securing places and all schools had waiting lists. The process is not working and there are stressed parents and children. What plans does the Department have to ensure adequate school places are provided next September? What plans does it have to provide additional places in Galway in the short term as the population continues to grow? It is an intolerable situation for parents who are scrambling around and told they are 150th, 90th, 50th or even first on the waiting list and still cannot get in to a chosen school. It is of chronic concern across the city and county. I am concerned about what will happen next September based on the prognosis from school principals.