Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
340. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department will publish a non-technical methodology note explaining how school-place demand is projected using child benefit data, school enrolments, census data, residential development information and GIS analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41088/26]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. School Planning Area boundaries are mapped on the department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) and are publicly available online. The GIS enables officials to undertake analysis within school planning area boundaries and also across adjoining school planning areas. School Planning Areas take account not only of local groupings of schools, but also of natural boundaries, Census Small Areas and other local conditions. The School Planning Area boundaries were originally formed around the urban areas and the rural areas served by the post primary schools located in the urban area.
My department uses this geographic information system to analyse data from a range of sources, including child benefit and school enrolment data, residential activity data and school census 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.
Child benefit data is made available by the Department of Social Protection which is used as the basis for the projections of future junior infant intake at primary level.
My department also carries out more granular school place demand analysis at sub-SPA level, mainly in urban areas. This is informed by child benefit data and enrolment data that is geocoded to small area level. This provides 19,000 building blocks across the Country that is used to produce baseline demographic profiles and zero migration projections for school place demand in any local area.
As part of this demographic demand analysis, planning and construction activity in the residential sector, is also factored in. This involves the analysis of population and housing data from local authorities and the CSO, along with engagement with local authorities.
The impact on the demand for school places associated with internal migration, driven by house completions is added to the zero migration projections to produce complete school place demand projections for any local area.
This ensures that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes at a local level, where the picture can quickly evolve due to planned new residential development.
In addition, to ensure alignment of school provision with rollout of additional residential development, the department liaises with all 31 Local Authorities in respect of the County Development Plans and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas. My department engages with all consultation phases of these plans to ensure that there is an adequate amount of appropriately zoned and suitably located sites for future school place provision and that they are in line with objectives as identified in the National Planning Framework.
An annual school capacity management process is undertaken by my department for longer-term planning of school infrastructure to ensure that sufficient school places are available to meet demand each year at both primary and post-primary level, including for children and young people with special educational needs.
The school place demand projections are compared with current and planned future school capacity. Where potential capacity pressures are identified, my department engages directly with the relevant schools and patrons, including through data-sharing arrangements where appropriate, to better understand application patterns and overlapping demand. This supports timely interventions to ensure sufficient school places are available for the forthcoming school year.
My department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
