Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the audits or reviews that have been carried out to assess the adequacy of school placements in areas with strategic housing developments. [13853/21]

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.

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 including strategic housing developments 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.

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 is at an advanced stage.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the areas identified as being in need of additional schools based on reviews, in tabular form. [13854/21]

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.

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 local authority to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area. My Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within the particular area and its ability to meet increased demand.

Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may 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 2018 47 new schools have been announced to be established to meet demographic needs. The majority of these schools have already been established and a further nine primary schools and eight post primary schools are scheduled to be established in the coming years. The relevant school planning areas which these schools are intended to serve are listed below:

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 is at an advanced stage.