Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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456. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children nationally, and specifically in Dublin, who will not have a school place this coming September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25576/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education and Youth.

Requirement for school places is kept under ongoing review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.

Since 2020, my Department has invested over €5.9 billion in our schools throughout the country and over 1.3 billion in school infrastructure in Dublin, involving the completion of over 1,350 school building projects. Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department are adding over 610,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.

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 primary level, there is generally good capacity across the country, although there are some areas under continuing demographic pressures.

My Department is aware of pressures for school places in school planning areas across the country for the 2025/26 school year. The Department has put in place a number of measures to support post-primary schools, including in Dublin, with a view to helping the admissions process for 2025/26 run as smoothly as possible.

Furthermore, the data sharing arrangements that were in place for the 2024/25 admissions process have been put in place again for the 2025/26 admissions process in school planning areas that are experiencing enrolment pressures, including Dublin. 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.

The nature of the admissions processes is quite complex as offers and acceptances continue to transact and there can often be significant overlap across areas and schools. In that context, while some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2025/26, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one.

I want to assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to work to ensure a school place for every child across the country, including Dublin.