Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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464. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence concerning a shortage of schools in the Dublin Bay North area and to consider a request to open another non-denominational school in this area so that families will have a choice in the schooling of their children (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4974/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Regarding new school provision, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from the Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that in November 2015, I announced that 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs. My Department is keeping the demographic data for the school planning areas nationwide under ongoing review, to take account of updated enrolment and child benefit data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases to existing schools.

In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary, and this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year.

The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS can be contacted at 01-7718500.