Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of additional school places for Swords, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19291/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 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.

Since April 2018 the Government has announced plans for the establishment of 45 new schools over the four years 2019 to 2022 including two new primary schools for Swords, one of which was established in 2019 the other to be established this September. This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.

In addition, the following post-primary school was established in the Swords school planning area in 2018:

- Swords Community College which is a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school.

In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools.

Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands.

My Department will also continue to monitor areas where the accommodation of existing schools may need to be expanded in order to meet the needs of the local population.