Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
509. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children eligible for junior infant places in school planning areas (details supplied); and the number of junior infant places in each of the schools in that school planning area. [72435/25]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPA) 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.
Laurel Lodge and Carpenterstown are in the Carpenterstown_D15 SPA. According to Child Benefit data in this School Planning Area (SPA) there are approximately 2,273 year old and 2,354 year olds that are likely to require junior infant places in the coming years. Porterstown is located in the BlanchardstownVge_D15 SPA. According to Child Benefit data there are approximately 3,443 year olds and 4,024 year olds living in this SPA likely to require junior infant places in the coming years.
The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of admissions legislation and their admissions policies. Enrolment data for previous school years is available on the Department website. Enrolment data for the 2024/2025 school year is available on the Departments website at www.gov.ie.
Each school is required to publish an Annual Admission Notice, which sets out the number of places available for first year for the relevant academic year. These notices are published by the schools themselves and are publicly accessible.
