Reliance on census ‘not adequate’ in identifying demand for school places

PRIMARY school managers say the current method of identifying the need for additional school places in an area is not adequate.

The point was raised at a hearing of the Oireachtas Education Committee yesterday by Séamus Mulconry, general secretary of the Catholic Primary Schools’ Management Association (CPSMA).

The committee heard a heavy reliance on census data “is not sufficient to capture the complexity of what is happening on the ground”.

The two-day hearing, which resumes today, is exploring a series of education-related pressure points, including school costs, the building programme and in-school resources.

Addressing the issue of the building programme and availability of school places, Mr Mulconry said a CPSMA survey had shown the majority of oversubscribed schools were in areas of rapid population growth, but it was not the only factor.

He said demand for what may be perceived as middle-class schools, or access to feeder schools for popular secondary schools, was also a factor.

It was significant that not one of the oversubscribed schools in the CPSMA survey was in the Department of Education’s DEIS programme serving disadvantage communities, he added.

Mr Mulconry said other factors influencing choice included parents opting for schools that were convenient for drop-offs or collections to and from work.

He said schools could provide helpful data “on the complex factors driving schools admissions and thereby assist in understanding where the provision of addition school places is needed”.

A Department of Education spokesperson said it used a wide range of data to plan for school provision.

Sources included Ordnance Survey Ireland, child benefit data and school enrolments.

It also engages with local authorities on planned and ongoing additional residential developments.