Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider an additional school accommodation appeal lodged by a school (details supplied) due to lack of space for students, teachers, special needs students and the very obvious health and safety risks set to be endured by students and staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43774/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I wish to confirm to the Deputy that an appeal, received by my Department, from the school in question was reviewed.  In order to assist the school with an interim accommodation solution, which was agreed with the school authority, funding was provided to reconfigure an existing space and the project was devolved to the school authority. On this basis, my Department considers that the school has adequate accommodation, for its existing cohort, pending delivery of the schools permanent  accommodation and this decision has been relayed directly to the school authority.

I understand that the project for permanent accommodation is at an advanced stage of design (Planning Permission) and will likely proceed to tender and construction in the near future.

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure there is adequate second-level school capacity in Rush, County Dublin to meet demand for places in August/September 2020. [43780/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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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. For school planning purposes, Rush is located in the Rush&Lusk school planning area.

Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.

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 will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school for the Rush&Lusk school planning area, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.

There are currently two post-primary schools in the Rush&Lusk school planning area:

- Lusk Community College, a 1,000 pupil post-primary school established in 2013 with an enrolment of some 650 pupils in 2018/19; and

- St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush - a building project for the school is included in my Department’s capital programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). A site is being acquired by my Department for this purpose. In the meantime, my Department recently approved temporary accommodation for the school to meet its interim accommodation needs.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.ieand this information is updated regularly.

The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website www.education.ieand this information is also updated regularly.

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure that there is adequate second-level school capacity in Skerries, County Dublin to meet demand for places in August/September 2020. [43781/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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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. 

Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.

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 will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school for the Skerries school planning area, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.  

I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.ieand this information is updated regularly.

The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website www.education.ieand this information is also updated regularly.