Written answers

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

Department of Education and Science

School Enrolments

9:00 pm

Photo of Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 527: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of junior infants and first year places that will be filled in Lucan primary and second level schools for September 2006; the combined numbers of applicants on the waiting list in each instance; the numbers of students who will not be offered a place at any Lucan school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18535/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are ten primary schools in the Lucan area including two new state of the art multi-denominational schools and a new Gaelscoil commenced operation in September 2005. These developments together with a number of extensions to existing schools, the provision of temporary accommodation and the re-organisation of one school to enable the enrolment of an additional two junior infant classes has increased capacity significantly in the area. In September 2006, 700 Junior Infant places will be available in the primary schools in Lucan. Therefore, the School Planning Section of my Department is satisfied that, between them, the schools have adequate accommodation to cater for current demand. In addition, a new 16 classrooms school with capacity for 60 Junior Infant places for Adamstown will progress to tender and construction this year. It is planned that this school will be enrolling students for September 2007.

My Department continues to monitor school needs in the Lucan area. In this regard all schools have been requested to submit their pre-enrolment lists with the date of birth of prospective pupils so that any newly emerging needs can be addressed as expeditiously as possible. There are four Post-Primary providers in Lucan with a combined capacity of 520 first year places. The Deputy will probably be aware that there is considerable vacant capacity at post primary level in areas adjacent to Lucan. Given that it is practice, particularly in Dublin, for post-primary students to travel some distance to attend a post-primary school, it is not unreasonable that my Department should seek to optimise the use of existing surplus capacity at post-primary schools in the general vicinity of Lucan as part of its strategy to address any shortfall for post- primary places that may emerge. This is its intention. It is important to understand that my Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result in parents not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice for their child.

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