Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for 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, including CSO Census data, 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.

Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my Department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from Local Authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.

Where demographic 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: • Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,• Provision of a new school or schools.

Santry is located in the Whitehall_SantryD9 School Planning Area.

There are 6 primary school projects planned in the Whitehall_SantryD9 school planning are: and when completed, will cater for the demand for school places in the area:

Gaelscoil Áine(Roll No: 20517C) – Brief: New 8-classroom school plus 2 SEN

Our Lady of Victories NS(Roll No: 19242F) – Brief: 2 x 80m2 mainstream classroom & 1 x 15m2 Resource Room. Stage 4: Stage 4 is the signing of the letter of acceptance to the successful contractor and commencement on site.

Holy Child NS(Roll No: 17318C) – Brief: 2x Classroom SEN base Stage 4

Our Lady Of Victories GNS(Roll No: 18911R) – Brief: 1x80m2 Mainstream, 1xWC, 3 x SET room Stage 5: Stage 5 is final handover of the school building to the Patron/Board of Management.

Virgin Mary Girls NS(Roll No: 19303W) – Brief Reconfiguration works to accommodate ASD class. Stage 5

Virgin Mary Boys National School(Roll No: 19302U) – Brief Reconfiguration works to existing space to create 1 x SEN Class base

Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna(Roll No: 20015B) – Brief reconfiguration works for SEN. Stage 5

There are 4 post primary school projects planned in the Whitehall_SantryD9 school planning area and when completed, will cater for the demand for school places in the area:

Ellenfield Community College (Roll No: 70321P) – Brief: new replacement school for 1,000 pupils plus 6 SEN

St Kevin's College(Roll No: 60581M) – Brief: Science Lab & Prep area, 1 x 179m2 Construction studies room & 2 x 49m2. Stage 2B: Stage 2B is the developed design & lodgement of planning permission

St Aidans CBS(Roll No: 60481I) – Brief: 15 MCR (9 prefab replacement), 5 SET(prefab replacement), 1 Construction, 1 Tech Prep,2 Project Store,2 Science Labs,1 Prep, 1 DCG, 1 Art, 1 x Multimedia, 1 Music, 2 SEN and ancillary. Stage 2B

Clonturk College(Roll No: 76394D) – Brief new school building to cater for LTPE 1000, plus a 6 class SEN base. Stage 1: Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team in conjunction with the school authorities, will analyse all the constraints of the site, develop a preferred design option and ensure that the preferred option is the best option for the delivery of the brief.

Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at 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.

The Department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plan and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas including Santry.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

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, the 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.

Where demographic 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:

• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.

Work on the development of a new policy for Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht is in progress in my Department. Included among the key objectives of the policy are exploring how opportunities for the establishment of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí can be increased as part of the patronage process.

A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. The New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG) is an external independent advisory group which was set up in 2011 to advise me on the patronage of new schools. The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons.

An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) provides objective information to parents in the relevant school planning areas to assist them in making an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage and language of instruction for the new school.

A prospective patron can choose the school(s) it wishes to apply for and complete an application form in that regard for each school, for submission to the Department. The Department provides details on the OPPS of the school(s) and the list of applicant patrons which have applied for patronage of the school(s).

Parents access the OPPS website, which allows them to access the appropriate survey for their area, to input the details of the eligible child(ren) and to select their preferred patron and language of instruction (where applicable). Parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process. Such analysis impacts on whether, at post-primary level, a school would take the form of an Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste, or whether, if English-medium, the school would include an Irish-medium unit.

A public consultation process has been conducted to gather the views of stakeholders. The issues raised in that consultation will be considered as part of the work on the development of the Policy on Irish-medium Education outside of the Gaeltacht.

The Department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plan and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas including Swords.