Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she continues to have dialogue with the various pre-school, primary and post-primary school authorities in Leixlip, County Kildare with a view to ongoing update of current and possible future requirements given the experience throughout the country where shifts in the population may require the setting of new targets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23228/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for additional school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.

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.

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 each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.

The 2022 demographic exercise indicates that 85% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level show static or decreasing enrolments for the period to 2026 compared with 2021. At post-primary level some 74% of school planning areas are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2029, with most expected to reach a peak within the next two or three years.

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, depending on the circumstances, 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.

Leixlip Co. Kildare is located in the Leixlip School Planning Area. Our most recent projections indicate that at Primary level, enrolments are set to increase slightly to a peak year of 2026, decreasing thereafter. At Post Primary level enrolments are projected to increase slightly out to 2030 and decrease thereafter.

My Department will continue to monitor residential developments and liaise with Kildare County Council in respect to population projections at settlement level and its review of the Development Plan process with a view to identifying any additional school accommodation requirements.