Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking to guarantee sufficient school places for children in north Kildare in primary and secondary (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29133/24]

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

The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department.

At a national level, Ireland has been experiencing growth in overall post primary enrolments and this is projected to continue in many parts of the country for the next number of years before beginning to decline. However, first year enrolments nationally are expected to have peaked in the current school year and will begin to decline from next year. At a national level, there are over 10,000 more first year places available for 2024/25 than sixth class children.

Of course, there is significant regional and local variation in enrolment trends and projections, with residential construction activity one of the most significant influencing factors. This means that, even as enrolments nationally begin to decline, we can still expect to see increasing demand at primary and post primary level in particular towns and areas, and enrolment pressures may arise in a very limited number of school planning areas from year to year. This must be seen in the context of an annual enrolment process that caters to some 140,000 pupils at Junior Infants and First Year level and that, on the whole, transacts very smoothly. While there are 314 school planning areas across the country, typically only a small minority of these areas require follow up engagement by my Department with schools and patrons to work through mainstream school place solutions for the following year.

With respect to County Kildare, more than €280 million has been invested in school infrastructure in County Kildare since 2020 alone, reflecting a strong focus on alignment of school place availability with the significant residential development across the county.

Our data shows that in County Kildare overall, there are approximately 400 more first year places available for September 2024 than sixth class children. In 9 of the 14 School Planning Areas in County Kildare, there are more first year places available for 2024/25 than sixth class children due to leave primary school. When school planning areas are clustered to take account of typical enrolment patterns, it can be seen that there are more first year places than sixth class children across each area in the county.

At primary level, at a county level, junior infant place requirements are declining and in 11 of the 14 School Planning Areas there is a forecast reduction in junior infants in the 2024 school year. In total across Kildare, there are over 700 more Junior Infant places available for 2024/25 than there are Junior Infants enrolled in 2023/24. Every School Planning Area in the county is showing an increase in Junior Infant capacity.

In that context, it is important to note that enrolment pressures may not necessarily be as a result of school place deficits in a town or area, but may be driven by factors such as duplication of applications, applications from outside the local area, and school of choice factors. My Department’s priority and responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, meet the school place need.

That said, it is acknowledged that enrolment pressures have arisen in some specific areas. My Department has been working very closely with patrons, management bodies and schools to work solutions in the small number of cases where additional places are required for the coming school year.

I want to assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to work to ensure a school place for every child in County Kildare, and across the rest of the country.