380. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department plans to sanction more Gaelcholáistí for the Fingal area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47687/26]

381. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department plans to sanction more Gaelcholáistí for the Malahide area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47688/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 381 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the requirement for school places, including Irish-medium provision, is kept under ongoing review in the context of population trends, enrolments and residential development activity.

With regard specifically to the establishment of additional Gaelcholáistí, it is important to note that the creation of any new post-primary school, whether English-medium or Irish-medium, is determined primarily on the basis of demographic need. The available capital resources for school infrastructure must be prioritised to ensure that every child has access to a school place. Accordingly, new schools are established only in areas where sustained population growth gives rise to a clear requirement for additional post-primary capacity.

In planning for school provision, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and undertakes detailed demographic analysis using a Geographic Information System. This analysis draws on a range of data sources, including CSO census data, child benefit data, school enrolments and information on residential development activity, to identify where additional provision is required.

Where a need for additional capacity is identified, provision is, where possible, delivered through:

• the utilisation of existing unused capacity,

• the expansion of existing schools, or

• the establishment of a new school.

My department’s approach is, in the first instance, to maximise the use and expansion of existing schools, in line with wider Government policy objectives under Project Ireland 2040, before considering the establishment of a new school entity.

In the context of Irish-medium education, the Programme for Government 2025, “Securing Ireland’s Future”, includes a commitment to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand and support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children. A lower enrolment threshold of 400 pupils may apply to a new Gaelcholáiste, recognising the distinct nature of Irish-medium provision and the alternative option of developing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) within an existing English-medium school.

In addition, my department has published the Policy for Irish-medium Education outside the Gaeltacht, which includes the establishment of a dedicated Taskforce on Models of Provision for Irish-medium Education. The role of this Taskforce, which commenced its work in November 2025, is to provide a platform for collaboration between my department and key stakeholders to develop a pathway to increase provision of Irish-medium education nationally. The taskforce's work is expected to be completed within one year. It will make recommendations to my department on areas such as the criteria for Irish-medium education provision, how to support schools transitioning to Irish-medium and mechanisms to facilitate expansion of provision.

My department has invested over €500m over the last 6 years in building new school buildings and modernising existing facilities for Irish medium schools across the country. This investment has included the construction of 10 new school buildings for Irish medium schools during this period.?

My department will continue to support Irish medium provision as part of NDP rollout during the 2026 to 2030 period.

In relation to Fingal, there are no new post-primary schools, including Gaelcholáistí, currently being established, as existing and developing school capacity is sufficient at present to meet projected demand across the relevant school planning areas.

A previously planned new post-primary school for the wider Donaghmede/Howth/Baldoyle/Stapolin areas has been deferred following updated analysis, which indicates that current and planned capacity can accommodate enrolments in the short to medium term.

My department will, however, continue to keep demographic trends, enrolments and the pace of residential development under active review, including developments led by the Land Development Agency and local authorities. This ongoing analysis will inform any future decisions regarding the need for additional post-primary provision, including Irish-medium provision, in Fingal and elsewhere.