Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2024
202. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide the capacity for intake of first year students at second level schools in Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Clane, Naas and Prosperous for the year 2023/2024, in tabular form; and the number on each respective waiting list of same, in tabular form. [13368/24]
View answerThe 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 for the Department.
My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in North Kildare. As part of planning for September 2024, data on applications for admission has been received by the department from post-primary schools across areas of known enrolment pressure including the School Planning Areas of Maynooth, Naas, Celbridge, and Prosperous_Clane. Leixlip School Planning Area was not included in this new process for 2024.
The sharing of this data has been very effective in the identification of school place requirements across the areas. In the majority of areas across Kildare, through the work of schools, patrons, management bodies and the Department, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area. The Department is working with schools and patrons to make additional places available in a small number of areas where a need has been identified. To date, of the above School Planning Areas, additional 1st year places have been made available in Maynooth and Celbridge, which has ensured there is sufficient capacity for September 2024 to meet the needs of all the local children. The Department has also been made aware of existing capacity within Naas, and has had positive engagement from a patron regarding the provision of additional first year places if the existing capacity is not sufficient. The Department also continues to work with a patron to ensure that a small number of children in the Prosperous_Clane School Planning Area are provided with a first year place, further to additional places that have already been made available in Prosperous.
The Deputy will appreciate that there can often be significant overlap across areas and schools and 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. In that context, while some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2024/25, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one. The Department is continuing to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient school places available, and to put any required solutions in place. This includes engagement in areas which were not included in the more detailed data sharing arrangements for 2024/25. As part of this engagement with patrons, the Department is also collaboratively planning towards 2025/26 and future years, as part of forward planning generally.
Details of school enrolments for 2023/24 can be found on my Department's website at www.gov.ie. Details of waiting lists of first year students at second level schools in Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Clane, Naas and Prosperous for the year 2023/2024 continues to evolve as the admissions process works through. While information was previously in respect of applications for admissions was previously provided by schools in Maynooth, Celbridge, Clane, Naas and Prosperous, the Department does not hold the most recent information regarding waiting lists for each school.
There will be greater clarity for families over the coming weeks as admissions processes continue to work through and required additional places come on stream.
|
School Planning Area |
Initial 1st year Intake 2024 |
Revised 1st year intake 2024 |
Comments |
|
Maynooth |
412 |
442 |
Additional 30 places made available by Maynooth Community College. Analysis indicates sufficient overall provision to meet local needs for first year places. |
|
Prosperous_Clane |
407 |
416 |
Additional 9 places made available by St Farnan's CC. |
|
Naas |
710 |
710 |
Piper's Hill CC and Gaelcholáiste Cill Dara both have advised of existing capacity for 1st year places. Irish medium post primary education may not meet the needs of all children, so further additional English medium provision has been agreed in principle with a patron, subject to existing English medium capacity being utilised. |
|
Celbridge |
407 |
437 |
St Wolstan's CS agreed to increase capacity by 30 places. Analysis indicates sufficient overall provision to meet local needs for first year places. |
