Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
358. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports or guidance being provided to families in Kildare north who have not yet received a secondary school place for September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5139/26]
View answerI 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 €397 million in school infrastructure across County Kildare. 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.
Furthermore, 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 areas in north Kildare. 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. However, similar to previous years, my department will continue to work closely with patrons and schools in order to ensure that all pupils in north Kildare will receive an offer of a school place.
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 continue to work to ensure a school place for every child in north Kildare.
