Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 December 2025
197. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has given consideration to the delivery of a new primary school in the Castlelands area of Balbriggan, given the new 817 housing development planned for the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70596/25]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
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.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
In addition to ongoing demographic analyses, my department continues to liaise with Fingal County Council in respect of potential longer-term requirements for educational provision in all areas of Fingal including Castlelands, Balbriggan. My department engages further on such matters with the Council through the review of the County Development Plan, preparation of Local Area Plans and other relevant statutory planning processes.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
A significant number of new residential units are planned for the Balbriggan area. There is an associated demand for school places with the development of new houses. However, due to the reduction in birth rates and family sizes, the school place demand per house has reduced in recent years. Similarly, the demand for school places in the older residential areas in Balbriggan has reduced significantly. As a consequence, the demand for primary school places have peaked across the Balbriggan area. It is worth noting that there were over 25% less junior infant students than sixth class students living in Balbriggan in the last academic year
Therefore, are no plans at present to establish a new primary school in the Castlelands area of Balbriggan.
The demand for school places will be heavily influenced by the number of new houses delivered and when they are completed.
Therefore, to ensure alignment of school provision with the rollout of additional residential development, the department, through the various consultation phases of the Statutory Plan process, liaises with Fingal County Council in respect of their County Development Plan, all associated variations, Local Area Plans and Masterplans with a view to identifying any medium to potential long-term school place and accommodation requirements across school planning areas and with the purpose of ensuring that there is an adequate amount of appropriately zoned and suitably located sites for future school place provision, which are in line with objectives as identified in the National Planning Framework. The recently announced revised housing targets will see an intensification of the Statutory Plan process for the foreseeable future. The specific detail on the amount of proposed additional residential developments and the proposed rate of delivery is awaited and this will inform the timing of additional school requirements beyond 2030. My department officials, who have consistently engaged in this process throughout 2025, will continue to do so going forward into 2026 and beyond.
The pace of delivery of additional residential developments, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of further school requirements across school planning areas.
