Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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684. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work her Department is undertaking to map the number of children who will be enrolling in mainstream primary school in the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30576/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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685. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work her Department is undertaking to map the number of children who will be enrolling in mainstream post-primary school in the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30577/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 684 and 685 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the my department has a robust forward planning process. The requirement for school places is 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.

My department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland.

My 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.