Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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496. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding plans for the provision of secondary school places in Cherrywood, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48187/25]

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 of mine.

Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. Supplementary capital funding of €210 million approved by Government has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.

My Department has invested over €1.6 billion in school infrastructure across Co. Dublin since 2020 and the Department is continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that every child in the State has access to a school place.

As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.

While the department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note that enrolment pressures can be driven by duplication of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors. Notwithstanding the above, in some areas, demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.

There are a number of projects ongoing in the Sallynoggin_Killiney_DLR school planning area that will increase post primary capacity including a new school building project for Holy Child Community School. Phase 1 of this project is to cater for an LTPE of 350, this project is currently at Stage 2a. In addition, there are extension projects ongoing for both St. Laurence College and Cabinteely Community School.

The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, may be viewed on the Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

My 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 relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.

My Department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plans and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.