Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Lombard for raising this very important matter. It provides the Minister for Education with an opportunity to outline a response. The Minister is at Cabinet today and was unable to attend to respond to the Senator’s Commencement matter.

For school planning purposes the Department of Education divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, GIS, to anticipate school place demand. Information systems from a range of sources, including child benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity, are used for this purpose. Additionally, there is Project Ireland 2040’s population and housing targets from the Department's projections school place requirements. Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, the Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any increased demand. Additionally, provision is also made where the existing capacity is insufficient for future needs.

The Department is aware of pressures at post-primary level in the Clonakilty school planning area and of a significant volume of applications for admissions across the two post-primary schools. These applications include some duplications where families have applied to both schools for a school place, as they are entitled to do. In that context, a critical next step is to acquire clarity on the number of additional first-year places required for 2024 in order for an appropriate solution to be put in place. For that purpose, schools in a number of areas of enrolment pressure, including Clonakilty, were requested to share data on applications for admissions. Both post-primary schools in Clonakilty were very prompt in returning their requested information, and the Department is currently analysing the data with a view to establishing the actual requirement for school places and any required specific actions as soon as possible.To further inform our planning school management process, school management bodies are assisting with a detailed analysis of school capacity in a number of areas, taking account of school-specific factors, such as current class groupings and subject offerings.

The analysis of all available information and close engagement with schools, patrons and management bodies will ensure that the real need for school places is fully understood and the optimum solutions can be identified. The continued close engagement with schools and patrons will also allow the Department to identify particular further capacity requirements for the forthcoming years and to put any required solutions in place, beyond those already in train, to ensure sufficient school places to meet the needs of students in this area.

In addition, the Department is progressing a number of building projects in the Clonakilty school planning area under the national development plan. This includes projects at post-primary schools and includes provision for mainstream accommodation, as well as for children with special educational needs. These projects include a recently completed extension for Clonakilty Community College. Additionally, a significant extension for Sacred Heart Secondary School has been approved and is currently at stage 1.

I assure the Senator that Department officials will continue to actively engage with schools and patrons to ensure appropriate provision for all students across the schools in Clonakilty for the 2024-25 school year and into the future. Families can be assured that any necessary solution will be delivered so that all the children in Clonakilty will receive a school place. The priority for the Department of Education is to ensure that places are available for all children for the next school year. Officials will continue to engage with patrons and school authorities in this regard. I expect further clarity will be provided to families and school communities in the coming weeks.