72. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the plans that will be advanced for a new school on a site offered free of charge to the State, within the town boundaries of Milford (details supplied). [53318/26]

My department received an application for large scale capital funding from the school referred to by the Deputy. My department has corresponded extensively with the school following this application and has met the Patron and other school representatives. I also took the opportunity to visit this school when I was in Donegal recently.

While my department is aware of the offer of a site for a new school that it is indicated is free of charge, it is important to acknowledge that such a scenario would require very significant capital investment by my department to build a new school building on it.

My department’s general approach is to support schools at their existing location as best as possible which may involve modernisation of existing facilities and provision of additional capacity where necessary. In this regard, my department provided additional capacity at the school through a significant modular accommodation project that was completed in November 2024. In terms of managing remaining capacity pressures at the school, the department understands that circa. 20% of the school’s current enrolment consists of pupils for whom it is not their nearest school.  My department has therefore asked the patron to review enrolment patterns in the area including the sustainability of a significant cohort of the school's current enrolment coming from areas served by other schools with existing capacity.

My department’s NDP rollout places a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and the prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs.  All applications from schools for major capital works, including the school referred to by the Deputy, must be considered in this context. My department will continue to liaise with the patron and school authority within this context.