School planning process

The process for school planning in Ireland can be long and, at times, frustrating.

School planning process

The three key stages are:

1. Ascertaining the need for a school

This is done by the Forward Planning Section of the Department of Education’s Planning and Building Unit.

At primary level, this is typically done by postcode and involves factors such as volume of child benefit paid, census data (which can lag) and so on.

The need for secondary school places is not usually studied directly. Those responsible look at where the primary schools are and go from there.

If the Forward Planning Section sees there is a demand for more places, it assesses if an existing school or schools can meet this need, for example, by building an extension. This is evidently cheaper than providing a new school.

To help convince them, we need to round up some convincing evidence – quantitative and qualitative info on the need for a new school.

2. Deciding the location of the school

If the Section agrees a new school is needed, then the Department starts to look at sites and assess likely costs. State-owned land is a good option here as it is theoretically cheaper to acquire.

The current OPW furniture warehouse behind the old SIPTU college on South Circular Road (next to Hybreasal) would be a really suitable site. It’s quite central in Dublin 8 with good transport links.

(A purpose-built warehouse outside the M50 could meet the OPW need to store both contemporary and antique furniture. The SIPTU college is being or has been taken over by the City of Dublin ETB to be converted to a further education college.)

3. Deciding the patronage of the school

This could be Educate Together, An Foras Pátrúnachta or another group/body (Here’s some info on previous patronage processes.)

1 in 4 primary schools must be Gaelscoileanna (Irish language primary schools), but there is no similar requirement for Gaelcoláistí (Irish language secondary schools).

It is possible to have an aonad model in which a ‘typical’ English language school has a Gaelcholáiste unit on site. This apparently works better when there are two separate buildings on the site.

Educate Together secondary schools in neighbouring postcodes

There is an ET secondary school in Harold’s Cross, D6, but D8 is not technically in the catchment area. Some kids from D8 got places there this year, but kids from the catchment area would take priority.

Likewise, Clogher Road Community College in Dublin 12 is now an Educate Together secondary school – wasn’t clear if D8 is in the catchment area for it? Someone might know.

There may be a new secondary school in Rathmines (old DIT College of Music building being used temporarily by Harcourt Terrace Educate Together primary school), but it would be for children from Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 (although it is in Dublin 6).

DEIS designation

Dublin South Central has the highest proportion of DEIS primary schools in the country. A new secondary school in D8 could potentially be designated as a DEIS school.