Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action being taken to help oversubscribed secondary schools in Fingal, County Dublin. [29393/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.

This announcement included three new post-primary schools to be established in the Fingal area as follows:

- A new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to serve the Donaghmede_Howth_D13 school planning area to be established in 2019;

- A new 800 pupil post-primary school to serve the Blanchardstown_West D15 & BlanchardstownVge_D15 school planning areas as a regional solution to be established in 2020; and

- A new 800 pupil post-primary school to serve the Donaghmede_Howth_D13 school planning area to be established in 2021.

In addition to the new schools announced, my Department's capital investment programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms for existing schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified.

I have highlighted that the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular would have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.