Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the school referred to applied to my Department in March 2017 seeking additional accommodation in respect of projected increases in enrolment.

Having assessed the application my Department was satisfied that there was sufficient capacity to meet the demand for school places in the catchment area within which the school referred to is located.  This may sometimes, however, lead to pupils not being offered a place in their school of first preference.  This position was advised to the school authorities concerned.

I would like to bring to the Deputy’s attention the significant funding my Department has approved in recent years to improve the accommodation at the school referred to.  In 2013, under the Prefab Replacement Scheme, six mainstream classrooms and a special education room were provided and, more recently, a project was approved by my Department for six mainstream classrooms and a two class special needs unit; this project is currently ongoing.