School Accommodation: 11 Jul 2024: Written answers (KildareStreet.com)

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in Maynooth. As part of planning for September 2024, data on applications for admission has been received by the department from post-primary schools across areas of known enrolment pressure including Maynooth School Planning Area.

The sharing of this data has been very effective in the identification of school place requirements across the areas. In the majority of areas across Kildare, through the work of schools, patrons, management bodies and the Department, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area. The Department is working with schools and patrons to make additional places available in a small number of areas where a need has been identified. To date, additional 1st year places have been made available in Maynooth which has ensured there is sufficient capacity for September 2024 to meet the needs of all the local children.

The Deputy will appreciate that there can often be significant overlap across areas and schools and the nature of the admissions processes is quite complex. As a result there can be multiple iterations, where applicants may accept a place but subsequently be offered and accept a place at a second school, freeing up capacity at the first school accepted. In that context, while some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2024/25, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one. The Department is continuing to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient school places available, and to put any required solutions in place. This includes engagement in areas which were not included in the more detailed data sharing arrangements for 2024/25. As part of this engagement with patrons, the Department is also collaboratively planning towards 2025/26 and future years, as part of forward planning generally.

Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects. Construction is currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These projects involve a total State investment of over €1.2 billion. This is a record level of investment in school buildings.

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. This investment includes recently completed new school buildings in Maynooth and Naas. Additionally, further new school buildings and extensions are at construction or planned, including in Prosperous, Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas and Clane.

The picture in relation to school place requirements is very dynamic, noting that children may also move into an area during the course of the school year (including from overseas). This is a particular issue in parts of the country where expansion of residential development has been contributing to mid-year demand for places.

Under the Education Act 1998, the question of enrolment policy in individual schools, including the setting of catchment areas, is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school patron. The 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 not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 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. Living in a particular catchment area is one criteria that a school may apply. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. The Department does not intervene in the criteria set by a school.

Department officials will continue to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in the Maynooth School Planning Area for the 2024/25 school year and into the future.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including those with special educational needs, is an absolute priority for my Department.

Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects. Construction is currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These projects involve a total State investment of over €1.2 billion. This is a record level of investment in school buildings.

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. This investment includes recently completed new school buildings in Maynooth and Naas. Additionally, further new school buildings and extensions are at construction or planned, including in Prosperous, Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas and Clane.

I recently announced the progression of the “Project Boyne” bundle of six large-scale school building projects to tender this year, under a programme devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency. Three of the six projects are for County Kildare schools, namely Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen; Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge; and St Mary’s College, Naas.

Where expedited delivery of school accommodation is required, my Department also utilises its Modular Accommodation Framework. This is particularly beneficial in the context of the significant growth in requirements for provision for children with special educational needs.

In addition, a key focus of the Department is the utilisation of existing accommodation at schools to provide facilities for special classes. This approach also supports accelerated delivery and ensures that provision is well integrated within the mainstream school accommodation.

There are currently some 20 modular and reconfiguration projects ongoing across County Kildare to meet school place requirements.

Nationally, 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, 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, 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. This is fully factored into my Department’s data analysis and strategic planning approach, including for Co Kildare.

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 Kilcock, and across the rest of the country, including by advancing required school building projects.

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

I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including those with special educational needs, is an absolute priority for my Department.

Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects. Construction is currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These projects involve a total State investment of over €1.2 billion. This is a record level of investment in school buildings.

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. This investment includes recently completed new school buildings in Maynooth and Naas. Additionally, further new school buildings and extensions are at construction or planned, including in Prosperous, Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas and Clane.

I recently announced the progression of the “Project Boyne” bundle of six large-scale school building projects to tender this year, under a programme devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency. Three of the six projects are for County Kildare schools, namely Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen; Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge; and St Mary’s College, Naas.

Where expedited delivery of school accommodation is required, my Department also utilises its Modular Accommodation Framework. This is particularly beneficial in the context of the significant growth in requirements for provision for children with special educational needs.

In addition, a key focus of the Department is the utilisation of existing accommodation at schools to provide facilities for special classes. This approach also supports accelerated delivery and ensures that provision is well integrated within the mainstream school accommodation.

There are currently some 20 modular and reconfiguration projects ongoing across County Kildare to meet school place requirements. These projects include new school building projects at St Patrick’s Boys National School and at St Farnan's Post Primary School which is at planning stage. Extension projects are also in train at Scoil Mhuire Allenwood National School and Scoil Mhuire Community School which will increase capacity in the Prosperous_Clane school planning area.

Nationally, 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, 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, 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. This is fully factored into my Department’s data analysis and strategic planning approach, including for Co Kildare.

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 the Prosperous_Clane school planning area, and across the rest of the country, including by advancing required school building projects.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).

It is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural design process. The planning application was lodged with Kildare County Council in Quarter 1 2024 but a Request for Further Information (RFI) has been issued; the Design Team along with KWETB is progressing through this request.

Subject to any further issues arising during the planning process, the project will proceed to tender and construction in due course.

KWETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep them informed of the progress.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System (or 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. In addition, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform the Department’s projections of school place requirements.

Straffan is located in the Celbridge School Planning area. Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, including the Celbridge School Planning Area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision. Additional provision is made as necessary, where the existing capacity is insufficient for future needs.

My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in North Kildare. As part of planning for September 2024, data on applications for admission has been received by the department from post-primary schools across areas of known enrolment pressure including Celbridge School Planning Area.

The sharing of this data has been very effective in the identification of school place requirements across the areas. In the majority of areas across Kildare, through the work of schools, patrons, management bodies and the Department, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area. The Department is working with schools and patrons to make additional places available in a small number of areas where a need has been identified. To date, additional 1st year places have been made available in Celbridge which has ensured there is sufficient capacity for September 2024 to meet the needs of all the local children.

The Deputy will appreciate that there can often be significant overlap across areas and schools and the nature of the admissions processes is quite complex. As a result there can be multiple iterations, where applicants may accept a place but subsequently be offered and accept a place at a second school, freeing up capacity at the first school accepted. In that context, while some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2024/25, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one. The Department is continuing to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient school places available, and to put any required solutions in place. This includes engagement in areas which were not included in the more detailed data sharing arrangements for 2024/25. As part of this engagement with patrons, the Department is also collaboratively planning towards 2025/26 and future years, as part of forward planning generally.

The Department has invested significantly in schools in County Kildare over recent years. Under the National Development Plan, a total of almost €250m has been invested in schools in County Kildare over the last five years. This investment has focused on provision of additional capacity to cater for its increasing population and there are further significant projects in our pipeline including for the North Kildare area.

These projects include recently completed 4 mainstream classroom extension at Straffan National School and an extension to provide 2 Special education classrooms and 4 Resource rooms buildings in Salesian College, Celbridge. Additionally, further a new school building project has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a bundled school building programmes. The schools will be delivered as part of a campus development at Donaghcumper, Celbridge. The project is currently at Stage 1 of the architectural design process.

The Capital 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, may be viewed on the 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.

The picture in relation to school place requirements is very dynamic, noting that children may also move into an area during the course of the school year (including from overseas). This is a particular issue in parts of the country where expansion of residential development has been contributing to mid-year demand for places.

Department officials will continue to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in the Celbridge School Planning Area, including Staffan, for the 2024/25 school year and into the future.