A new Educate Together school in Harold’s Cross may not be open to children from Dublin 8 and Dublin 12, as they are excluded from the catchment area.
The new school is expected to be built on the former site of the Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium and will be one of few non-denominational schools in the area.
There have been repeated calls for an increase in school diversity in secondary schools in the south central area of the city.
Senator Catherine Ardagh (FF) said that young people in Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 have been “disregarded” by the denial of access.
Senator Ardagh said: “The real concern among parents is that there are six primary schools in our area that do not have a continuity of ethos at secondary level.
“It shouldn’t be the case that access to a co-educational, multi-denominational, non-fee paying secondary level school is based on postcode.
“The young people in our locality deserve the same choice of education provided elsewhere and should have the very same access.
“The Government needs to step up to fulfil its commitment to pave way for more diversity in the education system.
“Communities in D8 and D12 are close to this Harold’s Cross site, so residents cannot be forced to accept that their children are excluded from the catchment area.”
In a statement, the Department of Education and Skills told Dublin Gazette that a “national demographic exercise carried out in early 2018” showed that demand for places “did not warrant” a new school in Dublin 8.
Detailing three separate school builds coming on-stream in coming years, comprising 1,000, 600 and 1,000 school places each – which individually could serve children and families from across the area – the statement continued: “The Department is establishing 42 new schools over the next four years. This includes 2,600 additional school places in south Dublin city.
“All new schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand are required to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning areas which the school was established to serve.
“This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the designated school planning areas where they have sufficient places.”
