Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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378. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a primary and secondary school for the Finglas East area including Jamestown Road, McKee Avenue, Hampton Woods and Lansborough especially given the recent rezoning of lands on Jamestown Road to Z14. [33230/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, 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. Jamestown Road, McKee Avenue & Lansborough are located in the FinglasEast_BallymunD11 school planning area. 

The most recent analysis undertaken by my Department projects that over 60% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level have stable or decreasing projected enrolments for the period to 2024, whereas some 90% of the school planning areas at post-primary level are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2027.

The level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision. 

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. 

In  the short-term, the most recent projections for FinglasEast_BallymunD11 school planning area indicate increased requirements only at post primary level.  My Department is currently working to examine the capacity of the schools in the area to meet this projected demand.   

In regard to the longer term, at primary level my Department requested that a site be zoned for a future primary school in the rezoning plans in order to cater for projected potential future requirements in the area.  Additionally, my Department will continue to engage with both Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council to ensure sufficient long-term provision is in place at post primary level.