Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
494. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Question No. 1253 of 13 January 2026, the number of additional school places expected to be delivered at a school (details supplied); and when the project is expected to be completed. [5846/26]
View answerThe large scale project for the school referred to by the Deputy is now at Architectural Planning Stage 4 – Construction.
The project brief for the Major Project includes the Demolition of the existing school and the phased construction of a three storey 1,000 pupil Community School with Special Education Needs Unit and PE Hall.
Works commenced onsite August 2024, and the project has an estimated contract duration of 36 months.
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 Newcastle_Rathcoole. 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.
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. The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. 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.
