Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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531. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will commence the process to acquire the site zoned for a new secondary school in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow; if the need for a new secondary school has been identified at this location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13139/21]

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, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. For school planning purposes, Newtownmountkennedy is located in the Kilcoole 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 information on significant new residential development in each area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes.

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, be provided through:

- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,

- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,

- Provision of a new school or schools.

A site acquisition process is only commenced where an identified requirement for a school building project exists.

As the Deputy will be aware, since April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 47 new schools over the 4 year period 2019 to 2022. This included a new post-primary school for the Kilcoole and Greystones school planning area as a regional solution and the school, Greystones Community College, opened in Greystones for the 2020/2021 school year.

My Department is satisfied that with the establishment of Greystones Community College as a new regional school for the Greystones/Kilcoole area and with the completion of the building projects at St. David’s Secondary School, Greystones and Coláiste Craobh Abhann, Kilcoole that the resulting additional permanent accommodation will be sufficient to cater for future demand in the area in the short to medium term.

The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in the Kilcoole school planning area, is at an advanced stage. Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with Wicklow County Council in respect of its review of the County Development Plan with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across the county.