Jen Cummins
Ceist:218. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans for a new secondary school in Meakstown, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27720/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 16 April 2026
Ceisteanna (218)
Freagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPA) 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.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools 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.
Meakstown is located in the FinglasEast_BallymunD11 school planning area. While the Department’s school planning areas are very useful for planning purposes at a national level, in dense urban areas such as Dublin City it is necessary for the department to take a broader perspective in the assessment of school accommodation requirements, particularly at post primary level. In city areas there can be a high degree of inward and outward mobility of children between school planning areas, often linked with public transport and active travel routes, and parents are free to apply to enrol their children in any school, whether that is in the school planning area in which they reside or not.
Pupils living in the FinglasEast_BallymunD11 school planning area also attend schools in the surrounding school planning areas where capacity has been provided to accommodate them.
Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
The department has engaged with Dublin City Council in regards to the Jamestown Masterplan. The Jamestown Industrial Estate Lands close to the Meakstown area were identified in the Dublin City County Development Plan as having significant potential for re-generation. The Jamestown land bank has the potential to deliver a significant number of residential units. A site has been zoned within the Jamestown lands for a future primary school should the projected population materialise as a result of the development of the potential residential units within this land bank.
My department will continue to liaise with Fingal County Council in respect of their County Development Plan and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.