I 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.
As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas 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.
The annual enrolment process for new Junior Infants at primary and new First Years at post-primary is a very large-scale operation that is transacted at close to 4,000 schools across the country, involving some 140,000 pupils. While my department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note that enrolment pressures can be driven by duplications of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors. Notwithstanding the above, in some areas, demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
Primary school enrolments at national level have been in decline for a number of years and this downward demographic trend is also now apparent at first year post primary level. There are, however continued pressures in some areas where there is high demand with continued population growth and housing development driving the need for additional school places.
The Deputy will appreciate 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, my department will continue to work closely with patrons and schools in order to ensure that all children across the country will receive an offer of a school place.
The Department does not centrally collate or hold a definitive dataset of available places or waiting lists by school planning area. Consequently, it is not possible for the Department to confirm current waiting list numbers for 2026/27.
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.
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.
With regards to special educational need places, close to 4,000 specialist places were made available for the 2025/26 school year. This was made up of 2,700 new places and 1,200 places through the natural movement of students from primary to post-primary or out of education.
Budget 2026 has provided funding for 3,000 new special educational places within our education system and extensive research was completed over the summer to identify schools with available accommodation in which new classes can be established. The NCSE is now matching these schools with known local demand based on the parent's notify process.
I want to assure the Deputy that my department will keep the school place requirements across the country under review. While some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2026/27, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one.
