As I have said in the House in the past, I represent Dublin Mid-West, one of the fastest growing constituencies in the country. I wish to ask the Tánaiste about secondary school places for the people of Newcastle, which is the fastest growing town in Europe. At the county development plan stage in 2022, it was forecast that by 2028, 5,000 people would be living there. However, the most recent census in 2020 showed 4,500 people living in the town, meaning there will be over 6,500 people in Newcastle by 2028. The primary school in the town is full to capacity and consideration is needed for a second primary school. That means we need to start the process of planning for and providing a secondary school for the people of Newcastle.

Additional capacity is being provided in Holy Family Community School in Rathcoole and in Coláiste Pobal Fóla in Saggart, but both of those towns are growing faster than was forecast. That new capacity will already be taken up by local demand. Compounding that is the fact that there are no active travel links or free bus transport for the people of Newcastle to schools in Rathcoole, Celbridge or Lucan. We must get ahead of this in light of the revised national planning framework that was passed by this House and the revised assumptions about population. We need to provide a secondary school for the people of Newcastle.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He is absolutely correct. He knows better than I do that there is increasing demand for school places in the Newcastle-Rathcoole school planning area due to new residential development. So far, the response of the Department and Government has included the establishment of Coláiste Pobal Fóla in Citywest in August 2020 and the expansion of Holy Family Community School in Rathcoole. I understand that new large-scale post-primary school projects are going to site this year for both of those schools, which will accommodate over 2,000 pupils. The Deputy's challenge to the Government relates to future protections and demand. I understand that the Department regularly meets representatives of South Dublin County Council on the issue and will keep the need for a school in Newcastle under review. The Minister for Education and Youth will keep in close contact with the Deputy on the matter.