Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what planning has taken place in her Department in relation to projected population growth in Portmarnock, County Dublin, and the projected impact on school places within the local area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10308/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for school places are 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 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.

If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.

New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure must be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase to ensure that every child has a school place.

Since 2020, my department has invested over €1.341 billion in school infrastructure in Dublin. This significant capital investment includes new a state of the art, modern school accommodation for 1,000 pupils at Malahide Portmarnock ETSS, a regional solution to serve the Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock school planning areas. Phase 1 has been delivered and Phase 2 is currently at Stage 4 of delivery. In addition, a new school building project to accommodate 1,000 pupils and two special education classrooms is currently at stage 3 at Portmarnock Community School. At primary level a new 16 mainstream classroom school for Malahide Portmarnock ETNS is at Stage 2b. There are also projects at St Nicholas of Myra NS to provide 2 Mainstream classrooms :1 WC and 4 Mainstream classrooms :2 Special education tuition rooms (Prefab replacement) and St. Helens SNS to provide 2 Special education classrooms both at stage 1.

My department is aware of post primary enrolment pressures in Portmarnock for the 2025/26 school year and, in addition to the capital investment already outlined, has put in place a number of measures to support post-primary schools in managing and effectively coordinating their admissions processes including continuing the data-sharing arrangements with schools in areas of enrolment pressure.

Firstly, the department has 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.

Secondly, 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.

Furthermore, the successful data-sharing arrangements that were implemented for the 2024/25 admissions process in areas of enrolment pressure have been put in place again for the 2025/26 process. 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.

I want to assure the Deputy that my department will continue to work to ensure every child across the country, including in Portmarnock school planning area, has a school place in 2025/26 and beyond.