The Minister for Education is being called on to address a shortage of secondary school places in mid Kerry.
Deputy Government Chief Whip and Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin raised the issue in Dáil Éireann recently.
Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education Norma Foley if she’ll address the shortage of secondary schools places in Milltown, and asked her to make a statement on the matter.
In a written response, Minister Norma Foley told Deputy Griffin her department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas.
She says where capacity issues arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by a number of factors including the duplication of applications, where pupils can’t get places in their preferred school, pupils coming in from outside the local area and due to some areas having single sex schools.
Minister Foley says the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known following discussion with the relevant school authorities.
She says the Department of Education is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons of schools in the mid-Kerry area, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year and beyond.
