351. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way that parental choice, and equality of access, informs the demographic demand analysis carried out on school planning areas. [51139/26]

352. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of the demographic demand analysis for each of the school planning areas Bandon, Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, Skibbereen and Dunmanway over the next five and ten years. [51140/26]

353. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a detailed breakdown of the demographic data provided by Cork County Council which has been included in the demographic demand analysis carried out on school planning areas for Bandon, Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, Skibbereen and Dunmanway. [51141/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 351, 352 and 353 together.

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 and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including 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.

My department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland.

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.

New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place, that meets their needs.

When a new school is announced, parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process and to whether at post-primary level a new school would take the form of a gaelcholáiste or whether, if English-medium, the school would include an Irish-medium unit or "aonad".

My department is satisfied that the existing demand can be accommodated up to 2030 by the existing and growing schools in the Bandon, Clonakilty, Roscarbery, Skibbereen and Dunmanway school planning areas. My department made a submission in April of this year to the Variation to the Cork County Development plan where proposed substantial additional residential developments could result in an increase in school place requirements in Bandon and Clonakilty by 2034. My department will liaise with officials of Cork County Council to ensure that sufficient lands are reserved, where required for new school entities to serve these new developments

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 pace of delivery of additional residential development in the school planning areas, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of school requirements. My department will continue to liaise with the Cork County Council in respect to the pace of delivery of these planned residential developments.