Four out of every five post-primary schools across Galway had to turn away parents seeking places for their children last year.
The school districts of Athenry and Galway city contain the most oversubscribed post-primary schools in the county, according to unpublished data seen by the Advertiser.
Based on an analysis conducted by the Department of Education between December 2022 and January 2023, Galway city and county has one of the highest rates of over-subscription – i.e. children turned away after qualifying applications exceed available places – across Ireland, outside the leafier suburbs of south Dublin and its commuter belt.
This unpublished government report on the capacity of the post-primary sector shows for the first time that half of schools across the country’s 314 School Planning Areas (SPA ) are over subscribed.
Of the 24 SPAs across Galway covering 52 schools, only nine schools had seats left empty after all first year applications were made last year. At least six schools did not fully respond to the department’s request for figures, so the real picture may be bleaker. Almost 83% of Galway schools received more applications than they could accommodate last year.
Of the 13 secondary schools in the Galway City SPA (which includes Headford and Oranmore ), ten were oversubscribed. The status of two schools, Coláiste na Coiribe in Knocknacarra, and Presentation College in Headford, was recorded as “unknown”. Salthill’s Coláiste Einde, which runs a lottery system for non-sibling admissions, is recorded as “fully-subscribed”.
Analysis shows that all schools in the Athenry SPA: Gairmscoil Mhuire, Presentation College and Coláiste an Eachréidh, did not have enough places to offer to parents seeking post-primary education for their children. The Oranmore SPA’s only secondary school, Calasanctius College, was also massively over-subscribed.
Ballinasloe was the only Galway SPA where more than one school was under-subscribed, with Ardscoil Mhuire for girls and Colaiste Sheosaimh for boys both indicating space after all applications were accepted.
Gairm Scoil Chilleáin Naofa at New Inn, Portumna Community School, Mercy College in Woodford, Coláiste Mhuire in Ballygar, Coláiste an Chreagáin in Mountbellew, St Jarleth’s in Tuam, and Coláiste Naomh Eoin on Inis Mór were the other schools across Galway which were under-subscribed.
Schools west of the Corrib from Galway city to Clifden were either fully-subscribed or over subscribed, although the status of schools in Carna, Inverin, Spiddal and one in Knocknacarra was recorded as “unknown”. Galway City centre schools, from Doughiska to Salthill, were all over-subscribed, with Coláiste Einde fully-subscribed. East and south county Galway had the highest number of under-subscribed schools.
In neighbouring school districts of County Galway, such as along the Clare, Roscommon and Westmeath county boundaries, most schools were also oversubscribed. None of the schools in south Mayo returned figures to the Department of Education, and their subscription status was recorded as “unknown”.
