1238. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools operating at or above capacity in each county for the 2026-2027 school year; the projected demand for additional school places over the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60384/26]

I can assure the Deputy that the 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 of mine.

My Department utilises a Geographic Information System (GIS) and analyses data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit data, school enrolment figures, residential development activity, and existing school capacity. This enables us to identify where pressure for school places is likely to arise, at a local level, and where additional accommodation is required.

Major new residential developments can significantly influence local demand for school places. In this context, our demographic demand analysis includes ongoing monitoring of enrolment trends, population data, and projected intakes at a local level, alongside direct engagement with schools, patrons and management bodies.

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas.

In addition, an annual school capacity management process is undertaken by my Department, to ensure that sufficient school places are available to meet demand each year at both primary and post-primary level, including for children and young people with special educational needs.

This process involves ongoing analysis of enrolment trends, demographic data and projected intake at school planning area level, as well as direct engagement with schools, patrons and management bodies. Each school planning area is kept under review on an ongoing basis, with particular regard to projected pupil intake, existing school capacity and emerging enrolment pressures.

Where potential capacity pressures are identified, my Department engages directly with the relevant schools and patrons, including through data-sharing arrangements where appropriate, to better understand application patterns and overlapping demand. This supports timely interventions to ensure sufficient school places are available for the forthcoming school year.

I wish to advise the Deputy, the provision of primary and post-primary school places, and the operation of admissions processes are matters for individual school authorities, in line with their published admissions policies and relevant legislation. Schools determine their own intake numbers and maintain their own enrolment and waiting list information. My Department does not centrally collate or hold a definitive dataset by County for the information referred by the Deputy.

Information on first-year and junior infant intake numbers for individual schools is published in each school’s Admissions Notice on their respective websites. National enrolment data is available on gov.ie.

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.