Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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1005. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the consideration her Department is giving to the establishment of a fully independent second level Gaelcholáiste in county Clare. [47023/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since 2011, arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by my department.

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

These arrangements 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 patronage and language preferences - either Irish or English - and an analysis of existing provision, including Irish medium provision, in the areas where the schools are being established.

Most new post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 to 1,000 students. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit, or Aonad, in an English-medium school. It is possible for any post-primary school patron to contact my department to explore the establishment of an Aonad in an existing school.

With respect to Ennis, there is sufficient existing and oncoming post primary school capacity to meet the forecast school place needs in the area, including in Ennis Community College, and the planned expansion of Rice College to cater for a total of 1,000 students. While the situation with respect to school places will continue to be kept under review, there is currently no requirement for the establishment of a new school to meet demographic requirements in the town.

There is currently Irish-medium post primary provision in Ennis at Gaelcholáiste an Chláir which is an Irish-medium Aonad within Ennis Community College. The department welcomes the level of enrolment of 120 students in this Aonad for the 24/25 School Year. It is great to see students taking up the opportunity to avail of their post-primary education through the medium of Irish.