Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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20. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her Department's plans to accommodate Ukrainian students living in Citywest, County Dublin, with school places given the existing constraints on school waiting lists in the Dublin mid-west area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34861/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I want to assure the Deputy that meeting the educational needs of children and young people from Ukraine is a priority for me as Minister and for the Government. We are determined to support for the huge efforts we are seeing from our school communities across the country, who have shown huge commitment and generosity in meeting the needs of all Ukrainian children.

Of course, the Deputy will appreciate the scale of the response needed, given that well over 30,000 people have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine since the beginning of this war.

By early June, figures show that almost 7,000 children from Ukraine had enrolled in schools in every county across the State. Approximately 4,800 children from Ukraine had enrolled in primary schools, while over 2,000 had enrolled in our post-primary schools.

With regard to the area of Citywest in particular, Ukrainian students who are living in the Citywest area of Dublin have so far been accommodated in local schools close to their accommodation. I am advised that the local Regional Education and Language Team (REALT) co-ordinator visits and engages with Citywest regularly.

My Department carried out surveys at Primary and Post Primary level to identify potential capacity. My Department has incorporated this information with other information in the Geographical Information System (GIS) system to enable quick identification of potential capacity near Ukrainian accommodation centres through the Community Analyst reporting system. This includes Citywest. 

Our understanding, given the numbers that are currently accommodated, is that there is sufficient capacity in the surrounding schools within the area.

The impact analysis from the GIS system sets out the available capacity near an accommodation centre as well as information on distance, school planning area, current school enrolment information, number of Ukrainian students enrolled etc.

Each REALT team has access to this tool. This reflects their key role in assisting children in finding school places and in supporting schools in their area to meet the needs of these children as they emerge.

This reporting tool enables the REALT co-ordinator to quickly assess the impact of the arrival of a large number of Ukrainian children on school capacity in a particular area. They are then able to work to ensure that existing accommodation capacity within all local schools can be leveraged to the greatest extent possible.

As part of maximising provision in school settings it may be necessary to access capacity in neighbouring schools within reasonable travel distance (supported as necessary through school transport arrangements).

My Department in consultation with Bus Éireann put in place a process to facilitate the provision of School Transport Scheme Services for children arriving to Ireland from Ukraine. For families and children residing in accommodation centres (or similar), school principals may apply for transport for children attending their school who are residing in such accommodation.