Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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361. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of capacity issues regarding secondary school places in the Castleknock-Carpenterstown school planning area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65309/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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My department is aware of pressures for school places in the Castleknock and Carpenterstown school planning areas.

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.

The data sharing arrangements that were in place for the 2025/26 admissions process have been put in place again for the 2026/27 admissions process in school planning areas that are experiencing enrolment pressures, including Castleknock and Carpenterstown. The admissions data provided by schools will allow the department to analyse duplicate applications as there can be significant overlap in areas.

The Deputy will appreciate that there can often be significant overlap across areas and schools, and the nature of the admissions processes is quite complex. As a result, there can be multiple iterations, where applicants may accept a place but subsequently be offered and accept a place at a second school, freeing up capacity at the first school accepted. In that context, it may take some time for my department to fully review the availability of post-primary school places in Castleknock and Carpenterstown while the admissions process continues to progress.

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.

Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

I can assure the Deputy that my department will continue to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in Castleknock and Carpenterstown areas for the 2026/2027 school year and into the future.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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362. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of capacity issues regarding secondary school places in the Mulhuddart Tyrrelstown school planning area, and in particular, with regard to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65310/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, 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 €1.6 billion in school infrastructure across County Dublin. 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 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.

The annual enrolment process for new Junior Infants at primary and new First Years at post-primary is a very large-scale operation that is transacted at close to 4,000 schools across the country, involving some 140,000 pupils. While my 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 duplications 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.

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.

Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

I want to assure the Deputy that my department will keep the school place requirements in Mulhuddart_Tyrrelstown_D15 school planning area under review.