Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the strategy his Department is adopting to address the deficit of primary school places in west Swords, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44810/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In order to plan for school provision, the demographic data for the Swords school planning area, as with other school planning areas nationwide, is being kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data.  It is anticipated that decisions based on these exercises will be announced before year end.

As the Deputy is aware, there are a total of 11 schools enrolling junior infant classes serving the Swords area, comprising 8 Catholic schools, one Gaelscoil, one Educate Together school and one Church of Ireland school. My Department is aware of the pressure on school places in recent years in the Swords school planning area. In that regard, my Department will be making contact with the patrons of the schools concerned in relation to the expected enrolment position in each school and with the aim of ensuring that there is adequate accommodation to cater for the demand for places in September 2018.