2025-12-11

93. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on post primary capacity planning for locations (details supplied), including the current assessment of projected enrolment pressure; the steps her Department is taking to ensure an adequate supply of secondary school places in the coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70838/25]

I ask for an update on post-primary capacity planning in Clontarf, Killester and Raheny, including the current assessment of projected enrolment pressure and the steps the Department is taking to ensure an adequate supply of secondary school places, particularly in co-educational schools as a survey has shown that 89% of parents in the area want co-educational education.

I am pleased to assure the House that there are more than sufficient places for all local children in the area referred to by the Deputy. While primary enrolments have been declining in the area since 2018, 16% of first year places at post-primary schools went unfilled for the last school year. This reflects an overall decline in post-primary enrolments for the area since 2023 and the fact that there are more first year places available than sixth class students in the area for the forthcoming school year. Enrolment pressures in an area may not always relate to capacity. They may instead relate to school choice and external draw factors. The Department’s responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can collectively cater for local demand. Under the national development plan, the Department of education has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country, including in the area referred to by the Deputy, since 2020. This involves the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. There are four projects planned at post-primary schools in the area, including a large-scale major project which is at construction and which will cater for over 1,000 pupils. This will provide good additional capacity relative to the school’s current enrolment. This investment will ensure that all pupils will continue to have access to an appropriate education place. Delivery of school building projects is underpinned by strong forward planning processes. Robust demographic analysis takes account of various data sources, including the census, child benefit data and school enrolments, and additional factors including planned residential development in each area. Furthermore, as with other areas, the Department will continue to liaise with the local authority in respect of its county development plan with a view to identifying any potential evolving long-term school accommodation requirements.

I appreciate that every child has a space but these spaces are not where parents desire to send their children. It is bananas. I was recently at an event with a load of up-and-coming parents, the new generation, and they were unanimously for this. The report submitted to the Minister's office shows a community that is ready for change and parents who are willing to support that change. Is there an indication of whether the Department is actively considering the establishment of new co-educational secondary schools in the area because there is clearly a demand? I would appreciate clarity as to whether Education Equality will be included in the national convention on education. It has emailed the office but has not got a reply. It wishes to discuss the ongoing issues around children's rights and the need for schools to uphold freedom of religion and belief in practice. With the new generation of parents and the new generation coming up in Ireland, it is very important that we provide this option. We can see the statistics. We need to act on them.

There were a number of questions there, along with a number of grenades. The planning and building unit in the Department is very conscious that we need to ensure adequate capacity right across the system in primary schools, post-primary schools, special classes and special schools. We are working to that. Resources are not endless but it is important to work with what is available. The Deputy raised the issue of school choice and so forth. There is a lot of work and research going on behind the scenes in that regard. Co-educational schools are hugely important. It is very important that we embrace that right across the school spectrum. I will come back to the Deputy on the specific issues he raised. The education convention is hugely important. This was set up by the previous senior Minister, Deputy McEntee, with whom I had the honour of working for the past number of months. I pay tribute to her and her team for the work they did. It is hugely important that the education convention is embraced because we will have to plan for education for the next 25 years and beyond.

I appreciate that. It is very important that Education Equality is invited to the national convention on education. It represents a large cohort of parents and a large cohort of the future generation. It needs to be replied to. We can be assured that representatives from State bodies and patrons will be there to fight their cases. It is important that Education Equality is there to show the other side on behalf of people who want change. I thank the Minister of State on the record of the House for all the help he has given me in my work in Dublin Bay North with regard to Stapolin Educate Together National School in Baldoyle and for everything he has done in relation to special education. It is really appreciated. His visit was brilliant. Will he provide an update on the current assessment of projected enrolment figures for the area? Chris Joyce and all of the parents involved in the Killester Raheny Clontarf school campaign are working tirelessly to show the Department what is needed. They have submitted a report to the Department but feel they are not being listened to. I appreciate what the Minister of State said about the volume of work involved. I understand the number of enrolments is huge and that everything must be processed but the campaign has done the work. Of 1,800 parents interviewed, 89% want co-education.

The information has been given to the Department and work is ongoing in relation to it. Regarding the education convention, the Deputy reflected the truth in the phrase he used when he said that every sector would be there fighting its corner. However, I genuinely believe that this is a very serious attempt being made by the Department of education to engage with all the stakeholders in a meaningful way to embrace all the issues that are out there. We have to drop the sense that you either have to fight your corner to ensure something happens or surrender it. This is about having the best possible education system. We have prided ourselves the world over on our education system over the last 50 years, and on the outcomes it has delivered in any comparison. However, we have to make sure that everybody is in and everybody's voice is heard and that we bring forward an education that we can be proud of again into the next generation and beyond. It is also important that it is done in a cohesive way, that we come to agreement on it and that everyone can stand together on it.