Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of new post-primary schools that will be required from 2015 onwards when, according to the Central Statistics Office, the student post primary figures will begin to increase rapidly after 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19245/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Central Statistics Office is one of the key bodies that my Department liaises with in relation to demographic trends in order to establish future enrolments. The Forward Planning Section of my Department is currently in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for future school years.

Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments as well as recent and planned housing developments. These factors and particularly the capacity of existing schools to meet additional demand for places will inform decisions in relation to the number of new post-primary schools that will be required to cater for the projected increase in pupil numbers referred to by the Deputy.

Data available to my Department suggest that the projected total enrolments at post-primary level will increase by approximately 51,500 pupils by the year 2016. Such an increase in pupil numbers would in theory equate to a requirement for over 51 new post-primary schools, each capable of catering for over 1,000 pupils. However, I should caution that the actual number of new schools required to cater for the increased enrolments will be less than that number as the approach of my Department in the first instance is to optimise the capacity of existing schools and expand them where possible. Such an approach also reduces the requirement for site purchase, which can be very considerable in the case of post-primary provision.

These factors will be examined in detail by my Department when considering the extent of new school provision required in all areas of the country.