Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her progress to date in expanding the provision of post-primary education in Santry and Whitehall, Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57265/21]

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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158. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her progress to date in expanding the provision of primary education in Santry and Whitehall, Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57264/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 158 together.

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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing local pressures and demand for post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in Santry and Whitehall, Dublin 9.

However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures 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

My Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues through ongoing discussions with the relevant school authorities. In that context, similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including those of schools in Santry and Whitehall, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate further action to that already in train, including the provision of modular accommodation where necessary.

Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. It is expected that the enrolment pressures in this, and other areas will reduce in the short-term as such planned additional capacity comes on stream and as demographic demand moves past its peak.

The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, including projects in the school planning areas in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

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,, St. Kevin's College and Clonturk College. The additional capacity being provided by all of these projects is being considered in the context of the projected future requirements in the area.