Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that there will be enough post-primary school places available in the school planning area covering the Dublin 17 area; the planning which is currently taking place in this school planning area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46642/22]

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 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. The Dublin 17 area is managed under the Beaumont_Coolock SPA and the Donaghemede_Howth SPA.

Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area. My Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within the particular area and its ability to meet increased demand.

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.

The following capital projects will provide additional accommodation in these identified SPAs as follows:

Beaumont_Cooloock SPA:

- Ellenfield Community College– Major project to deliver 1,000 pupils plus 4 SEN Base, at project brief stage. (Project Brief stage includes determining the project brief and schedule of accommodation)

Donaghmede_Howth SPA

- Belmayne ETSS– Design & Build Project, this will deliver a 1,000 pupils plus 4 SEN Base, the project is currently at Stage 4. (Stage 4 is the signing of the letter of acceptance to the successful contractor and commencement on site). The school opened in 2019 in interim accommodation.

- Gaelcholaiste Reachrann – New replacement school building to cater for a long term projected enrolment of 600 pupils – project at stage 3. (Stage 3 is the instruction for the project to proceed to Tender).

- St Fintan’s High School – Extension and Refurbishment to cater for a long term projected enrolment of 750 pupils - at project brief stage. (Project Brief includes determining the project brief and schedule of accommodation).

- Grange Community College – Project to deliver a long term projected enrolment for 1,000 pupils plus 4 SEN Base, at project brief stage. (Project Brief includes determining the project brief and schedule of accommodation).

My Department is satisfied that demand in the Beaumont_Coolock school planning area and the Donaghemede_Howth school planning area can be accommodated by the existing and planned schools in the area.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional school places in Santry, Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46644/22]

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, 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 primary and post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in Dublin 9.

Where data indicates that additional provision is required, 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.

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.

My Department is currently planning the delivery of a major campus project on the current Clonturk Community College site in Whitehall. The project will deliver two new 1,000 pupil post-primary schools and 1 new primary school (8 classrooms) on the Clonturk site. One of the new post- primary schools will be for Ellenfield Community College to replace their existing school. The new school will include a 4 classroom SEN Base. The other new post-primary school is a replacement school building for Clonturk Community College. The expanded post-primary schools will provide circa 1,200 additional co-educational, multi-denominational post-primary school places in North Dublin City.

The Department is currently developing the accommodation brief for this significant campus development and is engaging with the school patrons as part of this process.

The additional capacity being provided by all of these projects is intended to address projected future capacity requirements in the area.