Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on her Department’s efforts to address the demand for secondary school places in north County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6371/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 for the Department.

My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in North County Dublin School Planning Areas of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush & Lusk, Swords, Donabate, Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock.

A critical next step for my Department is to establish the actual number of additional first year places required for 2024 in order for an appropriate solution to be put in place. In that context, schools in a number of areas of enrolment pressure in North County Dublin, have been requested to share data on applications for admissions. This data has been received by my officials and is currently being analysed with a view to establishing the actual requirement for places. Preliminary assessments indicate that duplications of applications, and applications from outside the local area, are contributing to enrolment pressures in North County Dublin School Planning Areas.

The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. Enrolment data for previous schools years is available on the Department website. Provisional enrolment data for the 2023/24 school year is available of the Departments website at www.gov.ie

Nevertheless, my Department is working to clarify the actual requirement for additional school places and to identify particular further capacity requirements for 2024 and forthcoming years. My Department will engage with schools and patrons to put any required solutions in place - beyond those that are already in train - to ensure sufficient school places to meet the needs of students in the area.

I can assure the Deputy that Department officials will continue to actively engage with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in North County Dublin for the 2024/25 school year and into the future. Families can be assured that any necessary solution will be delivered so that all of the children in North County Dublin School Planning Areas of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush & Lusk, Swords, Donabate, Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock, will receive a first year place.