Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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524. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an analysis has been conducted on the demand for post-primary school places in the Dublin 9 area; her plans to ensure a sufficient number of post-primary school places in the Dublin 9 area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41979/21]

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, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity, to identify where additional school accommodation is needed at post-primary level. Dublin 9 is partly within each of the Whitehall_SantryD9, Beaumont_CoolockD5 and Drumcondra_Marino_D1 school planning areas.

The most recent projections for all three school planning areas indicate increasing requirements at post primary level.  My Department is currently working to examine the capacity of the schools in the area to meet this projected demand.

A number of capital projects have been recently completed or are currently planned or underway in the Dublin 9 area, including expansions at St. Aidan’s CBS, Dominican College, Clonturk College and Scoil Caitriona.  Furthermore, a new post primary school was announced to be established to serve the Drumcondra_Marino_D1 school planning area. The additional capacity being provided by all of these projects is being considered in the context of the projected future requirements in the area.

School place requirements nationally, including in Dublin 9, will continue to be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard to the impact of the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.