Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the shortage of school places across north County Dublin; and if she will engage with school principals and parents regarding the provision of modular accommodation and additional teachers to address the problem. [40003/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in North Dublin.

Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school there are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.

Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons in North Co. Dublin, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.

In relation to requirements for additional teachers, the criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources (teachers) provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.

However, the staffing arrangements for schools also includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional mainstream teaching posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment for the following September.