I thank the Deputy very much. I thank her also for raising this very important Topical Issue on the need for schools in the Kilternan school planning area. I am pleased to have the opportunity to describe, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton, how the Department keeps the requirement for school places under review. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system with data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, the Department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes at a local level where there is a constantly-evolving picture with planned new residential development. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may be provided through utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools, extending the capacity of a school or schools and provision of a new school or schools. If additional accommodation is required, the aim is to try and facilitate this as much as possible by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post-primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 to 1,000 students and must be coeducational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit in an English-medium school. There are fewer than 600 post-primary schoolgoing children and young people living in the Kilternan school planning area. Capacity has been provided in post-primary schools in neighbouring areas to cater for this demand. The demand for primary school places is being catered for in the three existing primary schools in the Kilternan school planning area, including, as the Deputy mentioned, Our Lady of the Wayside National School, which has a capital project to extend from 12 to 16 mainstream classrooms and SEN facilities. Therefore, there are no plans at present to establish new primary or post-primary schools in the Kilternan school planning area. The Department is aware of planned residential developments and has regular engagement with local authorities regarding the progress of the proposed developments. I take on board what the Deputy said about the topographical issue in the area and the fact she has asked the Minister to visit Our Lady of the Wayside National School. Is it Ms Leahy or Ms Touhy?
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I will pass that on to the Minister as well. I thank the Deputy.
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Again, many thanks to the Deputy for her best wishes in my new role as a Minister of State. She has made some very important interventions regarding her area. I am familiar with that area and new schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase to ensure every child has a school place. The Department continues to liaise with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in respect of the county development plan and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas. The Deputy has brought very important issues to the House and I will raise them with the Minister.
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I thank the Deputy for raising this very harrowing and distressing matter, which I am answering on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton. Child safeguarding in Scouting Ireland is a matter that is taken extremely seriously by the Department. As the Deputy is aware, Scouting Ireland is a voluntary organisation and a registered charity governed by an independent board of directors. It receives an annual grant from the Department of Education and Youth under youth services grants. Scouting Ireland receives the majority of its funding through membership subscriptions and fund-raising. I believe that Scouting Ireland would acknowledge that young people were not always properly protected in the past in the scouting movement. Today, Scouting Ireland has a well resourced safeguarding office, supported by dedicated funding from the Department of Education and Youth. As a major recipient of funding under the youth services grant scheme, YSGS, officials from the Department engage regularly with Scouting Ireland to ensure proper governance in relation to funding from the Department and to ensure that the organisation has adequate child safeguarding structures in place. Officers from the youth affairs unit, which administers the youth services grant scheme, hold biannual governance meetings with the board and senior management of Scouting Ireland. Safeguarding is a standing item on the agenda for these meetings. As I mentioned, since 2019 dedicated funding has been provided to Scouting Ireland to support its safeguarding office. In 2025, €251,377 of Scouting Ireland's overall YSGS grant of €1,504,312 was ring-fenced for this safeguarding office. Since 2023, Scouting Ireland has been submitting regular reports to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and, following the transfer of youth functions, to the Department of Education and Youth. The reports received to date have been reviewed by officials and have been deemed satisfactory. Ongoing engagement between officials and Scouting Ireland indicates that safeguarding is a strong focus and priority for Scouting Ireland, and that robust safeguarding structures are in place. It is a requirement for renewal of funding under the youth services grant scheme that funded organisations, including Scouting Ireland, meet the following conditions: that the organisation adheres to national child protection guidelines and procedures; that the organisation has policies in line with legislation, on the Children First Act 2015 and Garda vetting; that the organisation's recruitment and selection processes are in line with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016; that the organisation has a child protection policy and accompanying procedures; that the organisation's board review their child safeguarding policy, to ensure it abides by all legal requirements, and have written procedures in place. Scouting Ireland is an important part of the youth sector in Ireland. Its 2024 progress report showed that 33,985 young people were taking part in scouting as members of 392 groups, led by over 7,000 volunteers. The Department is committed to supporting the important work carried out by Scouting Ireland. I hear Deputy Buckley's message loud and clear. There are some aspects of it that the Department maybe cannot deal with, but I will bring his views back to the Minister.
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As previously outlined, child safeguarding in Scouting Ireland and all funded organisations working with children and young people is a matter that is taken extremely seriously by the Department. Departmental officials are satisfied that safeguarding is a priority for Scouting Ireland and that the organisation has appropriate safeguarding structures in place. There continues to be ongoing engagement between departmental officials and Scouting Ireland and this engagement, including the continued effective implementation of the processes and governmental structures that I have outlined to the Deputy, provide assurance that robust safeguarding measures are in place in Scouting Ireland. Deputy Buckley raised some very historical issues. I am sorry that was not the case many years ago. However, I compliment Scouting Ireland. Over many years when I was growing up, I saw the great work that a lot of the leaders did for all the young men. Unfortunately, there were some who stepped absolutely out of line and those issues are being dealt with today. I again thank Deputy Buckley for raising this issue.
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