New school entities are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure must be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase to ensure that every child has a school place.
Primary school enrolment figures peaked in 2019/20 and are currently 10% lower than peak levels. The current demographic profile indicated further reductions in demand in the short term.
In terms of existing provision in the Dublin 10/12 area, there appears to be sufficient capacity to meet current demand.
The demand for schools is influenced by changes in population due to migration which can be driven by the completion of new residential developments. The department is aware of plans for significant new residential developments in Ballyfermot and the wider Dublin 10 & 12 area, including the proposed City Edge Project. The department is engaging with Dublin City Council in regards to the school place demands associated with these residential developments. It is envisaged that a number of new school entities may be required to meet the needs of this new area.
If there is no existing Irish-medium provision in a school planning area, and a new primary school is being established to meet demographic demand, the new school will be designated as a gaelscoil before the Online Patronage Process System for that area opens. This will happen unless there are particular local circumstances where this would not be appropriate.
When the department announces that a new school(s) entity is required, a prospective patron can choose the school(s) it wishes to apply for and complete an application form in that regard for each school, for submission to the department. My department provides details on the OPPS of the school(s) and the list of applicant patrons which have applied for patronage of the school(s). Parents can then access the OPPS website, which allows them to access the appropriate survey for their area, to input the details of the eligible child(ren) and to select their preferred patron. Parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process and to whether at post-primary level a school would take the form of a gaelcholáiste or whether, if English-medium, the school would include an Irish-medium unit or "aonad".
Through the Primary School Survey, which ran from 4 November to 16 December 2025, my department has obtained clear information on the preferences of parents and guardians, on a number of important areas of primary school provision, including language of instruction (English or Irish).
Where the survey results show demand for change, Boards of Management will have the opportunity to consider being included in the first group of schools to action the survey results, following a period of engagement and consultation with their community.
My department will publish all school-specific reports on the gov.ie website in June.
The department will continue to liaise with local authorities in respect of their 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.
Ní bhunaítear scoileanna nua ach amháin i gceantair ina bhfuil fás déimeagrafach, toisc ní mór tosaíocht a thabhairt do na hacmhainní atá ar fáil do bhonneagar scoile chun freastal ar riachtanais na gceantar ina bhfuil méadú suntasach ar an daonra, lena chinntiú go bhfuil áit scoile ag gach leanbh.
Shroich figiúirí rollaithe bunscoile buaicphointe in 2019/20 agus tá siad 10% níos ísle ná na buaicleibhéil faoi láthair. Léirigh an phróifíl déimeagrafach reatha tuilleadh laghduithe ar an éileamh sa ghearrthéarma.
Maidir le soláthar reatha i gceantar Bhaile Átha Cliath 10/12, is cosúil go bhfuil dóthain acmhainne ann chun freastal ar an éileamh reatha.
Bíonn tionchar ag athruithe ar an daonra de bharr imirce ar an éileamh ar scoileanna, agus is féidir na hathruithe sin a spreagadh trí fhorbairtí nua cónaithe a chur i gcrích. Tá an roinn ar an eolas faoi phleananna d’fhorbairtí cónaithe suntasacha nua i mBaile Formaid agus i gceantar níos leithne Bhaile Átha Cliath 10 & 12, lena n-áirítear Tionscadal Imeall na Cathrach atá beartaithe. Tá an Roinn i dteagmháil le Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath maidir leis na héilimh ar áiteanna scoile a bhaineann leis na forbairtí cónaithe seo. Meastar go mbeidh gá le roinnt eintiteas scoile nua chun freastal ar riachtanais an cheantair nua seo.
Mura bhfuil soláthar lán-Ghaeilge ann cheana féin i limistéar pleanála scoile, agus má tá bunscoil nua á bunú chun freastal ar an éileamh déimeagrafach, ainmneofar an scoil nua mar ghaelscoil sula n-osclófar an Córas Próisis Pátrúnachta Ar Líne don limistéar sin. Tarlóidh sé seo mura bhfuil cúinsí áitiúla ar leith ann a d’fhágfadh nach mbeadh sé oiriúnach.
Nuair a fhógraíonn an roinn go bhfuil gá le heintiteas scoile/scoileanna nua, is féidir le pátrún ionchasach an scoil/na scoileanna ar mian leo iarratas a dhéanamh orthu a roghnú agus foirm iarratais a chomhlánú ina leith sin do gach scoil, lena cur faoi bhráid na roinne. Soláthraíonn mo roinn sonraí faoi OPPS na scoile/na scoileanna agus liosta de phátrúin na n-iarratasóirí a rinne iarratas ar phátrúnacht na scoile/na scoileanna. Ansin, is féidir le tuismitheoirí rochtain a fháil ar shuíomh gréasáin OPPS, rud a ligeann dóibh rochtain a fháil ar an suirbhé cuí dá gceantar, sonraí an linbh/na leanaí incháilithe a ionchur agus an pátrún is fearr leo a roghnú. Tá roghanna na dtuismitheoirí, chomh maith le breithnithe eile amhail fairsinge na héagsúlachta soláthair i limistéar ar leith (lena n-áirítear soláthar trí mheán na Gaeilge), ríthábhachtach don phróiseas cinnteoireachta agus chun a chinneadh cibé acu a bheadh scoil ag leibhéal na hiar-bhunscoile ina gaelcholáiste nó, dá mba scoil trí mheán an Bhéarla í, an mbeadh aonad meán-Gaeilge inti.
Tríd an Suirbhé Bunscoile a bhí ar siúl ón 4 Samhain go dtí an 16 Nollaig 2025, fuair mo roinn faisnéis shoiléir faoi roghanna tuismitheoirí agus caomhnóirí ar roinnt réimsí tábhachtacha de sholáthar bunscoile, lena n-áirítear teanga teagaisc (Béarla nó Gaeilge).
Sa chás go léiríonn torthaí an tsuirbhé éileamh ar athrú, beidh deis ag Boird Bhainistíochta machnamh a dhéanamh ar a bheith san áireamh sa chéad ghrúpa scoileanna chun torthaí an tsuirbhé a chur i ngníomh, tar éis tréimhse rannpháirtíochta agus comhairliúcháin lena bpobal.
Foilseoidh mo roinn gach tuairisc a bhaineann go sonrach leis an scoil ar shuíomh gréasáin gov.ie i mí an Mheithimh.
Leanfaidh an roinn de bheith i dteagmháil le húdaráis áitiúla maidir lena bpleananna forbartha contae, agus aon phleananna ceantair áitiúla gaolmhara d’fhonn aon riachtanas féideartha fadtéarmacha maidir le cóiríocht scoile a aithint ar fud na limistéir pleanála scoile.
