To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for the proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY

The building project for Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together Secondary School is being delivered under my Department's Design & Build programme.  This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction.  
The procurement process for a bundle of projects has commenced, with the publication of a contract notice to determine a shortlist of interested contractors.  The new school building for the school referred to by the Deputy is part of this bundle of projects.  The procurement process (and the associated tendering to short-listed contractors) for this bundle of projects will be ongoing during Q4 2019 and Q1 2020.  It is anticipated that construction of this school building project will commence in Q2 2020.  The first phase is planned to facilitate occupation of the new permanent school building in the 2020/2021 school year.  The site is located in Drinan, Swords.

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of primary school places in Skerries, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
 
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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
 
The Government announced in April 2018, plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the four year period 2019 to 2022, including 5 new primary schools and 3 new post-primary schools in the North County Dublin/Fingal area.  In addition, 4 new primary and 7 new post-primary schools were established in recent years in the area.
 
The requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
 
My Department is aware of the enrolment issues in the Skerries area for 2020.  In this context, my Department has been in direct contact with the Patron of Skerries Community College in respect of the capacity in the school.  Skerries Community College has expressed a willingness to increase its long-term projected enrolment to 1,000 pupils. As a result a permanent extension consisting of 3 general classrooms, 3 SET/Offices, Science Laboratory and prep area, Art room and toilets has been approved by my Department.
 
Pending the delivery of the permanent extension my Department has also approved interim temporary accommodation consisting of 3 mainstream classrooms with toilets along with the converting an existing space to create a Science laboratory. This accommodation will be in place for September 2020.

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of secondary school places in Skerries, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY
 
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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
 
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as 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 particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:

• Utilising existing unused capacity within  a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.

As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022).  While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school for the Skerries school planning area, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.  
My Department is aware of the enrolment issues in the Skerries area for 2020.  In this context, my Department has been in direct contact with the Patron of Skerries Community College in respect of the capacity in the school.  Skerries Community College has expressed a willingness to increase its long-term projected enrolment to 1,000 pupils. As a result a permanent extension consisting of 3 general classrooms, 3 SET/Offices, Science Laboratory and prep area, Art room and toilets has been approved by my Department.
 
Pending the delivery of the permanent extension my Department has also approved interim temporary accommodation consisting of 3 mainstream classrooms with toilets along with the converting an existing space to create a Science laboratory. The Patron of Skerries Community College is currently tendering for the interim accommodation approved. It is expected to have all interim accommodation in place for September 2020.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of school transport to pupils living in the Ballyboughal area that will be attending a school (details supplied) which will open on the Rathbeale Road in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) the new Swords community school
REPLY

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €200m in 2018.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school having regard to language and ethos.
Parents/guardians of a child (children) wishing to avail of school transport services, for the first time, are required to apply on-line on Bus Eireann’s website at www.buseireann.ie .
Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department, will contact all applicants regarding their eligibility for school transport:
- where there is a transport service available for eligible children, Bus Éireann will continue to liaise with eligible families regarding invoicing, payments, ticketing etc.
- where there is no transport service available for eligible children, Bus Éireann will forward the applicants’ details to the Department, which will then contact families directly regarding the Remote Area Grant.
 
The closing date for school transport applications for 2020/21 school year is the 24th April 2020.
 
It is important to note that an application for school transport must be made before a Remote Area Grant may be considered.  Please apply on-line at www.buseireann.ie

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the immediate measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of secondary school places in Skerries, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as 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 particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
-  Utilising existing unused capacity within  a school or schools,
-  Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
-  Provision of a new school or schools.
As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022).  While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school for the Skerries school planning area, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.  
My Department is aware of the enrolment issues in the Skerries area for 2020.  In this context, my Department has been in direct contact with the Patron of Skerries Community College in respect of the capacity in the school.  Skerries Community College has expressed a willingness to increase its long-term projected enrolment to 1,000 pupils. As a result a permanent extension consisting of 3 general classrooms, 3 SET/Offices, Science Laboratory and prep area, Art room and toilets has been approved by my Department.
Pending the delivery of the permanent extension my Department has also approved interim temporary accommodation consisting of 3 mainstream classrooms with toilets along with the converting an existing space to create a Science laboratory. The Patron of Skerries Community College is currently tendering for the interim accommodation approved. It is expected to have all interim accommodation in place for September 2020.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the immediate measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of secondary school places in Skerries, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY


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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as 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 particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
-  Utilising existing unused capacity within  a school or schools,
-  Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
-  Provision of a new school or schools.
As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022).  While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school for the Skerries school planning area, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.  
My Department is aware of the enrolment issues in the Skerries area for 2020.  In this context, my Department has been in direct contact with the Patron of Skerries Community College in respect of the capacity in the school.  Skerries Community College has expressed a willingness to increase its long-term projected enrolment to 1,000 pupils. As a result a permanent extension consisting of 3 general classrooms, 3 SET/Offices, Science Laboratory and prep area, Art room and toilets has been approved by my Department.
Pending the delivery of the permanent extension my Department has also approved interim temporary accommodation consisting of 3 mainstream classrooms with toilets along with the converting an existing space to create a Science laboratory. The Patron of Skerries Community College is currently tendering for the interim accommodation approved. It is expected to have all interim accommodation in place for September 2020

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of home school community liaison and school completion staff working with homeless families in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY

The Tusla Educational Support Service has advised that Tess have advised the HSCL Scheme and SCP projects provide supports for homeless children and families as the need arises in their cluster schools.
There are 420 Home School Community Liaison Coordinators (HSCL) serving over 500 schools and 122 School Completion Programmes (SCP) serving over 700 schools. All HSCL and SCP staff are available to assist families experiencing homelessness. All HSCL and SCP staff are aware of the need to provide supports to families experiencing homelessness and we know that a significant number are currently providing such support.
Along with colleagues in Tusla and across government I recognise that Homelessness is a hugely significant issue facing vulnerable families across the country and it can have an adverse impact on children and their educational attendance, participation and completion. My Department recognises that homelessness is a very fluid issue, emerging quickly and requiring a range of supports from the school, HSCL, SCP and other related services and in this regard I have secured and additional €500,000 in Budget 2019 and a further €400,000 in Budget 2020 to ensure that the needs of vulnerable children in relation to educational attainment are met.  

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a list of disused school buildings in the Fingal area of County Dublin will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY



Nationwide, there are over 4,000 school buildings and the  majority are in private ownership, mainly by denominational patrons.

When a school building becomes vacant as a result of closure/amalgamation/replacement, the future use of the old building is in the first instance a matter for the property owner. When the property owner applies to the Minister for permission to either use the property for community purposes or to sell it, my Department makes an assessment as to whether the property is required for future educational use.  If it is concluded that the property has no viable future educational use , my Department permits that it may be used for community or other purposes or may be sold. Therefore, my Department does not hold details of current usage of former school buildings in private ownership.

Any school buildings in the Minister's direct ownership in the Fingal area are already planned for educational use.    

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of secondary school places in Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of primary school places in Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY
 
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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
 
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as 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 particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:

• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.

As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.
While the announcement did not include a new school for the Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock school planning areas, the following new schools were established in recent years to serve the Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock school planning areas:

• A new 1,000 pupil post-primary school (Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together Secondary School) established in 2018; and
• A new primary school (Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS) established in 2014.

The requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.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 Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie and this information is also updated regularly.

* To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of secondary school places in Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Darragh O'Brien T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 26 November, 2019.

* To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to resolve the shortage of primary school places in Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Darragh O'Brien T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 26 November, 2019.
REPLY
 
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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
 
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as 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 particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:

• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.

As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.
While the announcement did not include a new school for the Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock school planning areas, the following new schools were established in recent years to serve the Malahide_Nevinstown and Portmarnock school planning areas:

• A new 1,000 pupil post-primary school (Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together Secondary School) established in 2018; and
• A new primary school (Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS) established in 2014.

The requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.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 Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie and this information is also updated regularly.