Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to examine the provision of a new post-primary school in the Ongar Hansfield Little Pace area of Dublin West; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12691/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In identifying the requirement for additional school places in a school planning area, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection, local authorities and the Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide 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 on 17 November 2015, 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools were announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs.

For school planning purposes, the areas of Ongar, Hansfield and Littlepace fall within the Blanchardstown West school planning area. In relation to these areas, my Department is satisfied that there is sufficient post-primary capacity to cater for the students living in these areas. The existing two post-primary schools located within this planning area, Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School and Phibblestown Community School, can between them cater for the demand for places in the area.

In addition, among the 13 new schools (4 primary and 9 post-primary) announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs, is a new post-primary school which will open in 2017 in the Carpenterstown/Castleknock school planning area, which is adjacent to the Blanchardstown West area. When fully developed, this school will provide an additional 1,000 pupil places, supplementing provision in the wider area.

My Department's priority is to ensure that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place. This may, however, result in students not being offered a place in the school of their first choice. As with other school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the area outlined by the Deputy will be kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated enrolment data and capacity increases in this and adjoining school planning areas.