Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to enrolment challenges in the primary and secondary schools in Shannon, County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4539/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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For school planning purposes, the Department of Education divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform the Department’s projections of school place requirements.

Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, the Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any 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 Department's projections of post primary school place requirements in Shannon show an anticipated continued growth in enrolments in the short to medium-term.

While the Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in Shannon, 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 – where pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – where pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town or area.

- Some towns or areas have single sex schools and while places areavailable in the school they are not available to all pupils

- External draw – that is, pupils coming from outside the local area

The Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues across school planning areas, including those in the Shannon area through ongoing discussions with the relevant school patrons and authorities.

This close engagement will allow the Department to identify at an early stage particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming years which may necessitate further action to that already in train including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions

The requirement, however, for additional school places is kept under on-going review. Additionally, the Department will continue to liaise with the Local Authority in respect of its review of Development Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements.

The Department will continue to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in Shannon for the 2023/24 school year.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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166. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the policy of schools which require a utility bill for proof of address, and the difficulty this presents for families in emergency accommodation. [5210/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.

Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools are required to have admissions policies, which have been approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. The school’s admissions policy is published on the schools website. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.

Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the pupil/student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils/student not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. Where an Applicant has a difficulty, such as the one referred to by the Deputy they can contact the school to discuss how information requested by the school can be provided.