Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there are proposals to review catchment boundaries taking into account the anomalies arising in the provision of school transport and otherwise, due to boundaries which were established over 40 years ago and which take no account of new schools and changes of demographic patterns. [25506/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960's and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. For planning purposes the country was divided into geographic districts each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. The intention was and continues to be that these defined districts facilitate the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs.

A number of reviews have been carried out over the years where, for example, a new post-primary school is established in an area where previously there was none or, conversely, where a "sole provider" school closes due to declining enrolments. The Area Development Planning initiative, involving an extensive consultative process carried out by the Commission on School Accommodation, will also inform future revisions to catchment areas. An Area Development Plan takes account of demographic changes and projects future enrolments for existing schools and new schools if required. Catchment boundary changes will be made where the implementation of the recommendations in an Area Development Plan requires such adjustments. In the circumstances, I do not propose to have a general countrywide review of catchment boundaries.