Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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639. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the number of current primary school students living within 3 km of a site (details supplied) indicates that the site is viable as a location for a post primary school, as has been provided for in the draft local area plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30358/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The site reservation to which the Deputy refers is for a primary school and not a post-primary school as referred to in the Deputy's question.

School planning is carried out on the basis of defined geographical areas known as school feeder areas. The demographics of an entire feeder area are taken into consideration when determining additional or new school accommodation needs.

The basis for this is that, schools within a feeder area are expected, between them, to cater for the level of overall demand presenting for school places in their feeder areas. In this regard, parents resident within a feeder area may opt for particular schools for various reasons such as ethos and/or language medium of instruction.

In February of this year, I announced the provision of a new primary school for the feeder area in question to commence operation in 2016. In accordance with school planning methodology, the provision of this school will be in addition to existing provision to meet the overall demographic needs of the school feeder area as opposed to making provision for a smaller localised area.

The Local area plan referred to covers part of the feeder area for which a new school has been announced. The reservation in that LAP was made on foot of submissions made by this Department in anticipation of future need. My Department will, in due course, be working with the local authority to establish the location for the new school, which will include an evaluation of the current reservation and any reservations in the wider area to assess their suitability.