Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

461. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of first-year places available in each of the three secondary schools in Greystones (details supplied) for the 2026/2027 academic year; the total number of individual children who applied for first-year places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65029/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Apply to School pilot was introduced to simplify and improve the admissions process for post-primary schools in five pilot areas. This new system provides families, for the first time, with a single online application and introduces synchronised, streamlined timelines for schools to manage admissions, issue offers, and update a central database to record accepted places.

I wish to advise the Deputy that schools continue to operate in line with the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 and their own Admissions Policies. Under this process, some applicants may receive more than one offer, while others may not receive an offer until later in the process. The centralised system helps identify duplicate acceptances and supports families in achieving certainty on school places earlier.

As part of this process, a second round of offers will be issued on 4 December. This ensures that any places that become available after the first round are allocated fairly and that every child is considered.

With regards to admissions data of the Greystones area as referred by the Deputy, the data is currently under analytical review and cannot be disclosed at this stage.

I want to reassure parents that there are sufficient first-year places in each pilot area for local children seeking a place. The Department will closely monitor the outcomes of the admissions process to ensure that all local children are accommodated and to identify any required solutions if necessary. The Apply to School pilot will provide early clarity and robust data to support this commitment.

I can assure the Deputy department officials will continue to work in consultation with stakeholders to develop an evidence-informed, tested, equitable solution for a nationwide Common Application System and to deliver this in an incremental way that ensures the admissions process safeguards the best interest of children.