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“This is a great deficit and there is a discrepancy in the numbers because
Golden years…
ith the shortfall of 72 spaces at Greystones’ secondary school 
for 2024 a major concern in the town, Jennifer Whitmore TD has gotten an assurance from the Department Of Education that no kid will be left behind next year.
ith the shortfall of 72 spaces at Greystones’ secondary school 
for 2024 a major concern in the town, Jennifer Whitmore TD has gotten an assurance from the Department Of Education that no kid will be left behind next year.Speaking on the Dáil floor, Minister Sean Fleming stated that “all of the children in the Greystones school planning area will receive a first year place” in September 2024.
The reasons behind the shortfall were explained to the Guide by the town’s three secondary school principals, Alan Cox, Ruairi Farrell and Simon Carey, earlier this month, with Whitmore the first to highlight the looming shortfall.
Speaking in the Dáil, Whitmore said, “In five weeks time, those three schools will write to parents to let them know whether their child was successful in applying to the school.
“There will be hundreds of students awaiting that news. This is a time of year and a time in sixth class students’ lives that should be exciting for them. Unfortunately, we are yet again going to have a large umber of students in Greystones for whom this time will not be exciting.
“Instead, it will be very stressful for them and their parents.”
Pointing out that there had been an increase in the Greystones population of 4,000 since the last census, Whitmore also highlighted the lack of appropriate infrastructure growth.
Pointing out that there had been an increase in the Greystones population of 4,000 since the last census, Whitmore also highlighted the lack of appropriate infrastructure growth.“Of the three schools that opened their enrolments, two are unable to offer the same number of places they did last year. For this incoming intake, there will be 72 fewer places for secondary school students.
“This is a great deficit and there is a discrepancy in the numbers because 
there are more sixth class students coming out of primary schools this year. This is going to be a big problem.”
there are more sixth class students coming out of primary schools this year. This is going to be a big problem.”And this is where Whitmore asked for a definite plan from the Department Of Education as to how they are going to ensure every child in Greystones will have a secondary place available to them in 2024.
Minister Fleming (speaking on behalf of Education Minister Norma Foley) replied that the provision of school places was an “absolute priority for the Department”.
He also stated that “families can be assured that any necessary solution will be delivered so that all of the children in the Greystones planning area will receive a first year place”.
Whitmore said that she welcomed this commitment, but that the Department had to “work very closely with the schools in the area, so this is sorted out as soon as possible”.