Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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394. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for an additional co-educational secondary school in the Dublin 15 area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38076/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own databases.

With this information, my Department is currently carrying out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. It is anticipated that decisions based on these exercises will be announced later in 2017.

As the Deputy may be aware, following completion of the 2016 patronage process for the nine new post-primary schools to be established in 2017 and 2018, I announced the Edmund Rice Schools Trust as the successful patron for the school to serve the Carpenterstown and Castleknock school planning areas.  This school opened in interim accommodation in September 2017 at the Le Chéile Secondary School, Hollystown Road, Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15.