Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 164: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the shortage of second-level school places on the northside of Dublin; and the action she is taking to address this matter [3782/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 165: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the lack of options available to parents on the northside of Dublin who wish to provide a non-denominational second level education for their children, in view of the fact that a school (details supplied) is now heavily oversubscribed; the way she proposes to uphold parents rights in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3783/11]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 165 together.

The most recent projections used by my Department would see enrolments at post-primary rise from current levels of circa 312,200 pupils to between 331,500 and 336,600 pupils by the year 2017. It is within this context that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of analysing all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional provision which will be required at both primary and post primary level up to 2017. Overall post-primary school accommodation requirements in the Northside of Dublin will be considered in this regard. However, initial indications are that there is no requirement for significant additional post-primary accommodation in the area of the school referred to by the Deputy.

The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.