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

333. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans to provide additional school places in County Kildare to meet future demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42573/24]

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 children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the department.

Since 2020, my department has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn. This is a record level of investment in school buildings. With regards to County Kildare, more than €310 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.

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 2023/24 school year and are beginning to decline from next year. At a national level, there are circa 10,000 more first year places available for 2025/26 than sixth class children. Across County Kildare there are over 200 more first year places available for the 2025/26 school year 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 the department with schools and patrons to work through mainstream school place solutions for the following year.

As part of planning for September 2025, the department will be engaging with an increased number of post-primary schools across areas of potential enrolment pressure, including areas in County Kildare. This engagement will include the request for admissions data to help identify duplicate applications and determine the need for additional places, if any, in the area. It is expected that, as in previous years, the data sharing will provide confidence that there is sufficient school place availability in the majority of areas. However, if a shortfall of places is identified in an area, the department will work with schools to put the necessary solutions in place. In addition, the department has improved the central Post-Primary On-line Database IT system that schools use to register student enrolments. This is an important improvement and is available to assist schools to manage the enrolment process and provide real-time notification to schools where a new student has accepted a school place in more than one school. This will help identify duplicate enrolments at a very early stage.

The department has also written to all parents and guardians of children in sixth class with advice and guidance regarding the admissions process for post-primary for the 2025/26 school year. This letter advised parents to apply to multiple schools in areas where there is high demand and requested parents to take steps to avoid holding multiple places.

I can 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, including by advancing required school building projects.