Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise a matter that has been brought to my attention by some councillors in the Kildare area. In light of recent CSO figures, which state that there will be an increase of 24% in the need for secondary level school places by 2025, can the Minister explain what progress has been made on funding for the Educate Together school to be built in the south Kildare area? There are currently 4,000 13 to 18 year old teens in the area but, according to CSO data, there will be an estimated increase of 24% in the need for secondary school places over the next nine years.

It is little noisy in the Chamber.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Ciúnas le do thoil. Can we have ciúnas in the Chamber as it is hard to hear what the Senator is saying.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I do not mean to be a prima donnabut it is quite distracting.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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In this new Chamber, the sound carries differently.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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The South Kildare Educate Together Second Level campaign has been active for some time and gained almost 3,000 signatures in support of the provision of a second level Educate Together school in the area. A report produced by the campaign shows an estimated shortfall of 415 places by 2025, not taking into account all of the new three and four-bedroom houses built in the past year, many of which will house families whose children will need secondary school places in the future. Earlier this year there were proposals for a joint venture between Educate Together and Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board to be considered for the provision of a second level community college, possibly in Newbridge. Is there any update on the progress made on these proposals?

On a side issue, there is a need for the Curragh post-primary school to be rehoused in more suitable accommodation. It is currently located in the barracks, in two former Army buildings. Is there any update on progress on that proposal?

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am delighted to be here in this lovely new Chamber. I congratulate the architects and everyone else involved in its design.

I thank the Senator very much for her question and raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position on the ongoing campaign for the provision of an Educate Together secondary school for the south Kildare region. My Department uses a geographical information system, GIS, to identify where there will be pressure for school places across the country. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordinance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own database. With this information, the Department of Education and Skills carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary levels to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. Where demographic data indicate that additional provision is required, its delivery is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on circumstances, be provided either through one or a combination of the following: utilising the extended existing unused capacity within a school or schools; extending the capacity of a school or schools; or the provision of a new school or schools.

There are seven school planning areas in south Kildare, namely, Newbridge, Kilcullen, Monasterevin, Kildare town, the Curragh, Athy and Castledermot. Following completion of the last demographic exercises, the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, announced the opening of four new primary schools and nine new post-primary schools, to be opened in 2017 and 2018, to cater for increased demographic needs nationwide. As part of this announcement, it was noted that a range of areas nationwide, including south Kildare, were experiencing increased demographic pressure and would be kept under review. These demographic exercises showed that while the school planning areas in south Kildare were experiencing some demographic growth, it was considered that, with the addition of both significant planned and recently delivered infrastructure in areas of south Kildare, the existing schools should, between them, be able to cater for the overall level of demographic demand for post-primary school places. The reference to an increased need of 24% for second level places by 2025 in south Kildare appears to originate from a report compiled by the South Kildare Educate Together Second Level campaign group, which has also been submitted to my Department. The Central Statistics Office has confirmed to the Department that it has not yet made future population projections arising from the 2016 census and has indicated that the population projections are scheduled to be released in April 2018.As with other school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the south Kildare school planning area is being kept under ongoing review by the Department of Education and Skills to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data. Recommendations on foot of the last ongoing demographic exercises being carried out by my Department are expected to be received before the end of the year.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming in to give the response. The last paragraph is really what I would have asked the Minister of State to do having heard the previous statement regarding whether there will be further information available in April 2018 and if there is a need at that point, which is projected by the report. The origin of the report is irrelevant as long as the data is correct. That is something that needs to be looked into. I know there is a very active campaign to have an Educate Together school or indeed a joint venture in the area. I know councillors in the area and Deputy Heydon are very much on top of this issue but it was great to get a response from the Minister of State today in the Seanad.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome a former long-standing Member of this House and former Leader of the Seanad, Donie Cassidy, to the Distinguished Visitors' Gallery. I almost said Senator Donie Cassidy but that might be predicting his future.