Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to increase school capacities in Naas and the surrounding towns; and her plans to allocate further resources in the area and its surrounds. [56003/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school building 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 area referred to by the Deputy, 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.

In response to projected future need and to enrolment demand in the area, there has been significant capital investment by my Department providing additional capacity at primary and post primary schools.

With regard to the Naas School Planning Area, a number of major building projects in primary and post-primary schools are currently underway which will provide further capacity. These include projects at the following schools:

- Mercy Convent Primary School, Naas - a project to provide a new 32-classroom school is currently on site and close to completion.

- St Corban's Primary Schoo,l Naas - a project to provide an extension to cater for a 16-classroom school is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process (detailed design).

- Colaiste Mhuire Secondary School, Naas - an extension to expand this school to cater for 1,000 pupils is currently at stage 2a of the architectural planning process.

- Naas Community College - recently completed new school building that has capacity for 1,000 pupils. 

There are also further projects progressing under the Department's additional accommodation scheme (ASA) at Scoil Naomh Mhuire Primary School, An Linbh Iosa and Gaelcholaiste Chill Dara.

In relation to surrounding towns the following projects are also progressing:

- In Clane - two primary school building projects are ongoing. Scoil Padraig Primary School - a new 24-classroom school is on site and a major extension / refurbishment project at Hewetson N.S. is at stage 1 of the architectural planning process.  At post-primary school level, a building project at Scoil Mhuire Community School is at stage 1 of the architectural planning process and will  provide 2 Science Labs and 5 classrooms (prefab replacement) when completed.

- In Prosperous - St. Farnan's post primary school, a major building project is at stage 2a of the architectural planning process and will provide a new school with capacity for 1,000 pupils when constructed.

School place needs across all school planning areas will continue to be kept under review, using refreshed Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and other updated information as they become available.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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252. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the post-primary catchment area that persons living in a location (details supplied) fall into; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56074/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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According to the Department's Geographical Information System, the area referred to by the Deputy is in the Newcastle_Rathcoole School Planning Area.

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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. 

In most areas, school planning areas were based on traditional school catchment areas where all primary schools were assigned to a post-primary feeder area (typically a population centre or town), containing one or more post-primary schools.  With the introduction of Small Areas in Census 2011, these feeder areas were amended to align with Census Small Areas. The current school planning areas take account not only of local groupings of schools, but also of natural boundaries, Census Small Areas and other local conditions. In urban areas, including Dublin, districts were created to allow for the grouping of schools and took into account natural boundaries where feasible, but also were specifically drawn to incorporate census electoral divisions and enumerator areas. 

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 most recent projections for the Newcastle_Rathcoole School Planning Area indicate a slight increase in requirement at post primary level up to 2025. There are two post primary schools in this school planning area.  The schools’ have a current enrolment of 1,200 pupils. The projected peak year is 2025 with 1,892 pupils and enrolments are projected to decrease thereafter.