John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans that her Department has put in place to accommodate students who have yet to be allocated a place for September 2022 while awaiting the building of a new school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25048/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is aware of some local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas across the country including South Kildare.

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 thearea.

- 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/patrons. In that context, similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, the Department is engaging with school patron bodies/school authorities to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.

Following an extensive site identification, assessment and negotiation process, agreement in principle, subject to contract, has been reached for the acquisition, by the Department of Education, of a permanent school site in Kildare Town to provide a replacement school for the Curragh Post Primary School. This site will accommodate 1,000 pupils and will include a 4 classroom special education needs unit. The new school will cater for the increased demographic growth at post-primary level due to occur in the Kildare South region over the coming years, the majority of which is projected to occur in Kildare Town. The location of this 8 acre greenfield site is next to two existing primary schools, Kildare Town Educate Together National School and Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, within the grounds of the former Magee Barracks, Kildare Town. The development of the post primary school on this site will enhance the education facilities available to the Curragh Post Primary School and the existing primary schools in a new educational campus arrangement.

Due to commercial sensitivities, it is not possible to provide further information at this time.

A number of other building projects in post primary schools in South Kildare are currently underway or being planned, which includes projects at:

- Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen

- Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge

- Ardscoil Rathangan

- St. Conleth’s Community College, Newbridge

- St. Paul’s Secondary School, Monasterevin

- Holy Family Secondary School, Newbridge (application received and currently being examined with information awaited from the school)

My Department is aware that there are currently places available in St. Conleth's Post-Primary School in Newbridge for the 2022/23 school year. My Department's engagement with Patrons/school authorities is ongoing and is focussed on ensuring that the start of the 2022/23 school year operates as smoothly as possible for all schools and their students.