561. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the current enrolment, permanent building capacity, temporary accommodation capacity and projected enrolment for each primary and post-primary school serving County Louth; and to identify whether any schools are currently operating at or above their permanent capacity. [65095/26]

As the Deputy may be aware, 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 CSO census data, 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.

My Department’s main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.

There are five school planning areas in county Louth: Ardee, Bush, Dundalk, Dunleer and Drogheda. At both primary school and post primary school level projected population, Junior Infant and First year enrolment is remaining steady or projected to decrease for county Louth.

The pace of delivery of additional residential development in the area, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of further school place requirements.

The Department will continue to liaise with Louth County Council in respect of their county development plan, and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas in Co. Louth.

Information on first-year 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 Department does not centrally collate or hold a definitive dataset of available places or waiting lists by school planning area.

Enrolment data is available online at:

www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/data-on-individual-schools/.

The Department produces school going population projections at a geographical level. The Department does not produce enrolment projections at individual school level, as this is influenced by the admissions policies set by the school authorities.

Primary school enrolments at national level have been in decline for a number of years and this downward demographic trend is also now apparent at first year post primary level. There are, however, continued pressures in some areas where there is high demand with continued population growth and housing development driving the need for additional school places.

The demand for primary school places in the six school planning areas in County Louth is projected to ready steady or decrease, while the demand in 3 of the 17 urban areas is projected to increase marginally.

The demand for post primary school places in two of the six school planning areas is projected to increase marginally, while the demand in the other four is projected to remain steady.

While my Department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some local areas, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

Duplication of applications.

School of choice.

Single sex schools.

External draw.

Notwithstanding the above, in some areas demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has provided over €130 million in capital funding for Louth schools.

Over this period, a total of 35 schools have been upgraded through provision of either a new school building, extension, modular accommodation or climate pathfinder projects.

6 school projects to go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027 were included in the NDP Implementation Plan.

There are currently 4 large-scale, extension, modular or climate pathfinder projects in Louth under construction.

There are also 4 projects underway through the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme.

In addition, since 2020 a total of 80 special classes have been sanctioned in Louth, of which 12 were sanctioned for September 2026.

The current status of all projects is set out under item number ten at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/building-works-for-the-construction-extension-and-refurbishment-of-schools/.

This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

I want to assure the Deputy that my Department will keep the school place requirements in Co. Louth school planning area under review.