Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide a co-educational, non-denominational, non-fee-paying secondary school for children in Dublin 8 and Dublin 12, in view of the fact that existing schools are at capacity and this is forcing parents and children to travel considerable distances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22452/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in November 2016, I announced the patronage of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2018 to serve the Dublin South City Centre area. This new school, which will be a co-educational, multi-denominational school under the patronage of Educate Together, will serve the Dublin 8 school planning area, along with the Dublin 2, Dublin 4 and Dublin 6, Clonskeagh, school planning areas as a regional solution.

More recently, in April 2018, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including new post-primary schools for areas adjacent to Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 as follows:

- new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2020 as a regional solution to serve the Dublin 6, Clonskeagh, and Dublin 6W school planning areas

- new 600 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2021 to serve the Dublin 2, Dublin 4 school planning area.

These new schools will further reduce pressure on schools in the adjacent school planning areas, including the Dublin 8 and 12 areas. A patronage process, which will be open to all patron bodies, will be run by my Department to decide who will operate these schools.