Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. Given the rapid growth in population in Ireland, one of our key requirements is to ensure that we have an adequate number of school places at primary and second levels. I am aware that there is a forward-planning unit within the Department. My question is to look at how that unit operates, particularly in terms of looking at areas where there will be high population growth over the coming period. I am specifically asking to look at where the Department sees the need for school places between now and 2030 and the criteria it will use in that regard. I have a specific interest in north Wexford and south Wicklow, which are areas of high growth. For instance, in the intercensal period between 2016 and 2022, the Gorey local electoral area had population growth of 14%, in comparison with the national average of 8%. In the case of Arklow, where the Government has now delivered on the wastewater treatment plant, which will allow for the expansion of the Arklow area, rapid growth in terms of housing and, consequently, population will be seen over the coming years.

As regards my experience with the Department, in the late noughties I was involved with a campaign - I did not run it - involving Gorey Community School, the largest second level school in the country, which was overcrowded. That led to the creation of Creagh College, which ultimately became a 1,000-pupil school. It was sanctioned by the then Minister, Batt O'Keeffe. I was predicting, however, that by 2015 we would need another school. The Department said, "No, no, you are wrong. We have already provided it." Looking at census statistics and figures on the ground, however, we saw that it was the case, and four years ago, the Minister, Deputy Foley, did sanction an extra second level school, Gorey Educate Together Secondary School.

All three second level schools in Gorey are doing well, but I have no doubt, given projected population growth and the fact that in the Gorey area alone, between houses under construction, those with planning permission and those where developers have long-term plans, there are 3,000 homes in the pipeline. My argument is that even if only half those are built, and on the basis of one child in each of those homes, that will result in a very big demand for both primary school places and second level places. There is very clearly within Gorey town already a demand either for a significant expansion of the existing primary schools or that we look at a sixth national school.

In the case of Arklow, I have raised regularly with the Minister, Deputy Foley, the long-running case of a new site for the Gaelscoil and Gaelcholáiste. I hope that impasse is resolved soon. These are excellent schools but they need a new site. I am looking in particular to the likely growth that will happen in the town now as a result of the planned expansion. I use that only as an example, but we have seen rapid growth in our population over recent years. The Department, I think, at times takes the view that this will plateau. It does not. It may in certain parts of the country, but in other areas - and I am talking in particular about the greater commuter belt around Dublin - we continue to experience rapid growth.

What I want to know, therefore, is what level of planning the Department has in place and where it sees the growth happening between now and 2030.