Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will prioritise building an Educate Together school in the Beaumont-Coolock SPA as there is currently no provision in the area; if schools are allowed to extend their catchment areas over the boundary of the SPAs; for an update on the Government’s divestment programme in the Beaumont-Coolock SPA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24981/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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.

New schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand are required, in the first instance, to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning area(s) (SPA) which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the SPA where they have sufficient places, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.

In city areas there can be a high degree of inward and outward mobility of children between school planning areas, often linked with public transport and active travel routes, and parents are free to apply to enrol their children in any school, whether that is in the school planning area in which they reside or not.

The department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the 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, the 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.

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

These new arrangements also give an opportunity to patrons to apply for the patronage of new schools. The criteria used in deciding on the patronage of new schools place a particular emphasis on parental preference and language preferences and an analysis of existing provision in the areas where the schools are being established. This approach is underpinned by a 2011 Government decision.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.

The department’s demographic projections indicates that primary and post primary enrolments in the Beaumont_CoolockD5 SPA are not expected to increase to a level that will require the establishment of a new school entity. Demographics are kept under review on an ongoing basis.

The Programme for Government commits to seeking to increase choice for parents by ensuring that families can access both multi/non-denominational and faith-based education.

For historical reasons, most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local Bishop as patron. It is recognised, including by the Catholic patrons, that more diverse provision is required to cater for our changing society.

The schools reconfiguration process, supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local communities, has been developed to meet demand from parents. When a school transfers from the patronage of one patron to another, the school remains open with the same roll number and operating from the same school property.

Given the importance of increasing choice for parents. I intend to publish a plan to meet the commitment contained in the Programme for Government regarding multi-denominational education.

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 Beaumont-CoolockD5.