Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

93. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary school places and class requirements in Leixlip, County Kildare continue to be met; if class sizes fall within the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30008/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Forward Planning Section of my Department continuously monitors and analyses demographic data for all areas of the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy, to anticipate emerging needs and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet those needs. My Department's five year construction plan is focused on providing accommodation to meet demographic needs this regard. It is also open to schools to apply for funding at any time to meet their particular requirements.

Class sizes in primary schools in County Kildare are broadly in line with the national average of 24.8 and are well within the current pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. This information is published on the Department's website as part of the Key Educational Statistics 2013/2014 document.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary school places and class requirements in Celbridge, County Kildare continue to be met; if class sizes fall within the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30009/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Forward Planning Section of my Department continuously monitors and analyses demographic data for all areas of the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy, to anticipate emerging needs and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet those needs. My Department's five year construction plan is focused on providing accommodation to meet demographic needs this regard. It is also open to schools to apply for funding at any time to meet their particular requirements.

Class sizes in primary schools in County Kildare are broadly in line with the national average of 24.8 and are well within the current pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. This information is published on the Department's website as part of the Key Educational Statistics 2013/2014 document.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary school places and class requirements in Maynooth, County Kildare continue to be met; if class sizes fall within the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30010/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Forward Planning Section of my Department continuously monitors and analyses demographic data for all areas of the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy, to anticipate emerging needs and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet those needs. My Department's five year construction plan is focused on providing accommodation to meet demographic needs this regard. It is also open to schools to apply for funding at any time to meet their particular requirements.

Class sizes in primary schools in County Kildare are broadly in line with the national average of 24.8 and are well within the current pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. This information is published on the Department's website as part of the Key Educational Statistics 2013/2014 document.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills The extent to which primary school places and class requirements in Clane, County Kildare continue to be met; if class sizes fall within the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30011/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Forward Planning Section of my Department continuously monitors and analyses demographic data for all areas of the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy, to anticipate emerging needs and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet those needs. My Department's five year construction plan is focused on providing accommodation to meet demographic needs this regard. It is also open to schools to apply for funding at any time to meet their particular requirements.

Class sizes in primary schools in County Kildare are broadly in line with the national average of 24.8 and are well within the current pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. This information is published on the Department's website as part of the Key Educational Statistics 2013/2014 document.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary school places and class requirements in Kilcock, County Kildare continue to be met; if class sizes fall within the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30012/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Forward Planning Section of my Department continuously monitors and analyses demographic data for all areas of the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy, to anticipate emerging needs and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet those needs. My Department's five year construction plan is focused on providing accommodation to meet demographic needs this regard. It is also open to schools to apply for funding at any time to meet their particular requirements.

Class sizes in primary schools in County Kildare are broadly in line with the national average of 24.8 and are well within the current pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. This information is published on the Department's website as part of the Key Educational Statistics 2013/2014 document.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary school places and class requirements in Naas, County Kildare continue to be met; if class sizes fall within the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30013/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Forward Planning Section of my Department continuously monitors and analyses demographic data for all areas of the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy, to anticipate emerging needs and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet those needs. My Department's five year construction plan is focused on providing accommodation to meet demographic needs this regard. It is also open to schools to apply for funding at any time to meet their particular requirements.

Class sizes in primary schools in County Kildare are broadly in line with the national average of 24.8 and are well within the current pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. This information is published on the Department's website as part of the Key Educational Statistics 2013/2014 document.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he has received submissions from the school authorities in Leixlip, Maynooth, Celbridge, Kilcock, Naas and Clane in respect of the need for further increased provision of second level school replacements in the towns in question having particular regard to trends in primary school enrolments and general demographics; if he expects to be in a position to meet such requirements in full over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30014/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 5-Year Plan that I announced in March 2012 as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme, outlines the major school projects that are scheduled to commence construction over the duration of the Plan. These have been prioritised on the basis of meeting significant demographic needs.

The Deputy will be aware that there are four Post-Primary school projects included in the Plan for the areas to which he refers; two new schools for Maynooth (one replacement) and a new school for both Naas and Celbridge. My Department will also consider applications from individual schools for devolved funding to meet an immediate accommodation requirement because of increased enrolments.

My Department will continue to analyse demographic trends and to monitor enrolments in all areas to determine the level of additional school provision which may be required into the future and to ensure that this is provided in a timely manner. Any further increased provision required in the areas referred to by the Deputy will be considered in this context.

The current status of all projects on the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this is updated regularly throughout the year.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be a position to make provision for a gaelcholáiste in County Kildare over the next three years; the degree to which he has received representations from the representative parents in this regard; if new cognisance will be taken of the needs arising from the expanding population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30015/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has not, to date, received any formal submission from parents in relation to the provision of a Gaelcholáiste for county Kildare. The Department's current five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to accommodate increasing pupil numbers. Therefore, the establishment of any new school is considered in the context of the overall need for additional school places to meet future demographic demands and is advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and language medium of instruction.

As the Deputy will be aware a new post-primary school will open in county Kildare this coming September. This school will have an all-Irish Aonad. My Department has confirmed that if sufficient demand for education through the medium of Irish in the Aonad is demonstrated over a four-year cycle, the establishment of an independent Gaelchóláiste will be considered.