Written answers

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Department of Education and Skills

School Enrolments

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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700. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that the second-level schools in the Midleton and Carrigtwohill school planning area will be able to cater for the demand for first-year school places in September 2022 given that all schools have increased their numbers in recent years and are at capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30476/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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 Midleton and Carrigtwohill.

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 they 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 will be engaging with patron bodies, including in the area in question, to identify particular capacity requirements for the 2022/23 year(s) which may necessitate action.

As the Deputy is aware, to assist in the process of providing additional second level places in Midleton and Carrigtwohill for 2021 the following measures have been taken to date:

- Additional temporary accommodation has been approved for Carrigtwohill Community College for 2021/22 pending provision of their new permanent school.

- Approved an extension to St. Aloysius College, Carrigtwohill to expand the school to cater for 1,000 pupils.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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701. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils that the forward planning unit of her Department envisages will apply for a second-level school place in the Midleton and Carrigtwohill school planning area in September 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30477/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As indicated to the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Question 19410/21 on the 20th April, the current projection for first year intake numbers in the Midleton_Carrigtwohill school planning area is 771 pupils for 2022. This projection is based on my Department's 2020 demographic review, and information available at the time of that exercise.

It should be noted, however, that residential development in an area can contribute to increased school place requirements. For that reason, my Department includes information received from local authorities in respect of current or planned residential developments in its consideration of future school place projections. Midleton_Carrigtwohill school planning area has a high level of residential development activity, as notified by the local authority, and this may result in demand additional to the numbers outlined above. This is informing deliberations in respect of any potential school accommodation requirements. The projections will continue to be updated on a rolling basis and will take account of the additional student numbers which may materialise when planned residential development is completed and occupied.

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