Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that every child has a right to education under our Constitution and should have access to an appropriate education. It is something the Department works on daily, particularly where there are pinch points and a growing population.

I note the Senator’s suggestion, which is a good one, around the 314 school planning areas. It is worth the Department reviewing those, whether annually or more than that. I can get that information to him. He mentioned Maigh Cuilinn and other areas. Localities can change, particularly where there is new residential development activity, and that needs to be taken into account.

The Department is seized of this issue and has asked for the enrolment data for first years so it can understand the school places required for September 2024. We want to make sure every child that needs a school place obtains it. The Senator talked of the stress that can be on parents, which I completely understand. They do not want to find out at the last minute that their child has secured a school place; they want to be given as much notice as possible so they can organise the commute and consider whether they need to drive the child or he or she can make his or her own way to school. That is extremely important. I know the Department is aware of this and I will certainly bring the Senator’s comments back to it.