Kildare first year student has been to eight schools

A first year student in Kildare has attended eight schools.

The female student’s situation came to light at a Kildare County Council meeting amid calls for more accurate planning to be put in place so that enough school places may be available in the future.

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Cllr Paula Mulroe led the call for greater interaction between KCC and the Department of Education “to ensure the future-proofing of school capacity across the county.”

She wanted information about how KCC and the department plan for educational infrastructure “including the identification of lands earmarked for schools and the assessment of projected population growth in determining future school place needs.”

Cllr Mulroe said school principals should be consulted because they know the likely future demand for schools and school places and all agencies would have accurate numbers.

Tenders have been issued for a new €15m school in Prosperous, following the granting of planning permission in December.

But Cllr Mulroe said it will be at capacity in three or four years and “we’ll find ourselves looking for temporary accommodation around 2030.”

Another councillor, Bill Clear, told a KCC meeting that land is zoned around the county for schools but “it sits there.”

He said KCC should be telling the department that it has plans for residential accommodation which needs to be matched by school places.

Cllr Nuala Killeen said there is a disconnect between the department's planning for school places and the rate of residential construction and consequent need for places.

Independent councillor Padraig McEvoy said that numbers of families are moving into the county with children whereas in previous times most families grew organically within the county.

Kildare town-based councillor  Suzanne Doyle (FF) said she had met a student who had been in eight schools and she said the housing crisis has meant that people are moving more frequently to different locations.

She said the schools need to have an input into the planning of new education places.

Cllr Doyle said the county is successfully responding to the housing crisis wit significant developments happening in many towns - but these are not supported by social infrastructure and the unpredictable nature of demand for school places doesn’t appear to be taken into account by the Department of Education.

“We need to be able to hold the department to account somehow,” said Cllr Chris Pender.

KCC official Alan Dunney said the provision of schools is a “matter wholly for the Department of Education (and) KCC or any local authority for that matter, has no role in the delivery of such projects save for ensuring sufficient lands are zoned” and dealing with planning applications for schools.

He also noted the department provides accessible information about specific projects on its website.

He further said KCC engages with the department as well as taking account of likely future demand when development plans are drawn up within the county.