Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the plan her Department has to introduce more new school in north Kildare given an increase in housing that is being introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30990/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department has a robust forward planning process which considers population and enrolment data.

Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, is 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

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.

My department conducts demographic analysis at both school planning area and settlement level. More granular analysis is carried out in areas encompassing both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland.

In 2019 new primary schools were established in Leixlip and Maynooth and a new post-primary was established in Maynooth in 2020.

Since 2020, the Department has invested over €339 million across 94 projects of various scale in County Kildare. This includes a number of significant projects in North Kildare.

Given the level of existing and planned provision, my department is satisfied that the provision of a new school entity in the North Kildare area is not required at this time.