Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of junior infants places available in the Ballincollig catchment area for 2019; the projected enrolments; and the plans to accommodate a shortfall in places. [49176/18]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of junior infant places planned to be available for the next school year in each of the schools in the Ballincollig catchment area in tabular form. [49177/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold the specific information to which he refers. More detailed information relating to enrolment levels in all primary and post-primary schools nationwide is available on the Department's website at the following link:

.

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.

Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:

- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,

- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,

- Provision of a new school or schools.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Government 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.

In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future. 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.

While the announcement did not include a new primary school in the Ballincollig school planning area, two new primary schools were announced for the adjoining school planning areas as follows:

- a new 8 classroom primary school to serve the Glasheen_CorkCity/Pouladuff school planning area to be established in 2019; and

- a new 16 classroom primary school to serve the Carrigaline school planning area to be established in 2020.

My Department's responsibility is to provide sufficient accommodation to meet 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place. It is open to an individual school to apply for accommodation under the additional accommodation scheme if the school does not have sufficient capacity to meet school places.