Action demanded on school places capacity in Swords

THE Department of Education and Skills has responded to concerns about the future capacity for school places in the Swords area. 

Dublin Fingal TD Louise O’Reilly (SF) and her party colleague, Cllr Philip Lynam, recently raised the issue in the Dáil and at Fingal County Council level respectively.

In a Dáil question, Deputy O’Reilly asked Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, the position regarding the future of school placements in Swords in view of the growing population; the construction work scheduled; and his plans for persons that are currently on the school list but cannot get a placement in Swords.

Cllr Lynam tabled an emergency motion at a recent council meeting in which he called on Fingal County Council chief executive Paul Reid to write to Minister Bruton regarding the matter.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education and Skills told Northside People: “The demographic data for the Swords school planning area is currently under review by the Department to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases in this area. 

“In relation to capacity in the area, there are 13 primary schools serving the Swords area, five of which have had new state-of-the-art buildings provided since 2008. 

“Two of the primary schools are included in the current capital programme and a number of the other schools have undertaken smaller extensions via the Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme.”

The spokeswoman said the Department has recently been in direct contact with a number of primary schools in the area in respect of their junior infant capacity.  

“In that regard, it is understood that at least one school is undersubscribed and has expressed a willingness to enrol further junior infants in September 2017, if necessary,” she said.  

“It is important that school size is monitored and that a balance is preserved among all schools in school planning areas to ensure that one school is not expanding at the expense or the viability of another school.   

“The Department is continuing to keep developments in the area under review in the context of the ongoing demographic analysis.”

Meanwhile, Alan Farrell (FG), who is also a TD for Dublin Fingal, described the capacity issues in Swords schools as “wholly unacceptable”.

“The Department must act to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency,” he said.

“As the county town of Fingal, which has the fastest population growth rate both in Ireland and Europe, Swords is on-track to become a city in its own right. 

“It is vital that the necessary levels of investment are made in our schools to ensure we have the capacity levels to cater for demand our schools currently face, and will continue to face in the future.”