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School planning areas

The Department of Education and Youth groups schools into 314 planning areas to plan school places. Select an area for its trends, its schools and what its parents would prefer, across county lines.

Ireland: what parents told the Department of Education and Youth in its Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. These are preferences, not applications.

Households that answered
200,365
133,968 with children at school
66,397 with children not yet at school
Multi-denominational patron
47%
of parents of children not yet at school would prefer one
44% of parents at school · 7.8% of pupils in multi-denominational schools now
Teaching through Irish
26%
of parents of children not yet at school would prefer it
20% of parents at school · 8.0% of pupils in all-Irish schools now
Single-sex
6%
of parents of children not yet at school would prefer one
5% of parents at school · 12.8% of pupils in single-sex schools now

Where preferences run ahead of places

Areas with no school of a kind that many parents of children not yet at school would prefer.

65 planning areas outside the Gaeltacht have no school teaching all subjects through Irish, though a quarter or more of parents of children not yet at school there would prefer it. Including Skerries, Ballyfermot–D10, Kinvara and Roscarbery Shown below 40 planning areas have no multi-denominational school, though half or more of parents of children not yet at school there would prefer one. Including Crosshaven, Ballybrack–Shankill–DLR, Dublin–6w and Kilfinane Show these 40 areas

65 of 314 areas

These 65 areas outside the Gaeltacht have no school teaching all subjects through Irish, though a quarter or more of parents of children not yet at school there would prefer it. Show all 314 areas

About these figures

Select a column heading to sort
CrosshavenCork · 4 schools 261 47% 0% 58% 84% +84
SchullCork · 2 schools 82 44% 0% 53% 67% +67
RoscarberyCork · 5 schools 192 46% 0% 57% 59% +59
RathdrumWicklow · 6 schools 458 49% 0% 55% 58% +58
Dolphin's Barn–D12Dublin · 17 schools 2,070 43% 7% 52% 62% +55
LaytownMeath · 4 schools 690 44% 0% 45% 52% +52
ClifdenGalway · 13 schools 218 46% 0% 45% 51% +51
KilkeeClare · 7 schools 107 37% 0% 39% 51% +51
KillaloeClare · Tipperary · 7 schools 377 43% 0% 47% 49% +49
LouisburghMayo · 5 schools 128 51% 0% 52% 49% +49
WoodfordGalway · 6 schools 80 44% 0% 37% 49% +49
ButtevantCork · 5 schools 200 39% 0% 41% 48% +48
CoachfordCork · 12 schools 623 50% 0% 45% 48% +48
LisdoonvarnaClare · 5 schools 99 43% 0% 43% 47% +47
PortumnaGalway · Tipperary · 10 schools 250 40% 0% 40% 47% +47
CahirTipperary · 11 schools 501 37% 0% 38% 46% +46
CarrignavarCork · 3 schools 250 40% 0% 41% 46% +46
HeadfordGalway · Mayo · 12 schools 435 55% 0% 42% 46% +46
Spanish PointClare · 8 schools 181 46% 0% 35% 46% +46
ThomastownKilkenny · 2 schools 261 46% 0% 50% 46% +46
BallyhaleKilkenny · 7 schools 229 44% 0% 40% 45% +45
KilcooleWicklow · 3 schools 510 45% 14% 54% 58% +44
CastledermotKildare · 4 schools 207 41% 0% 47% 43% +43
TullaClare · 3 schools 155 42% 0% 33% 43% +43
MacroomCork · 10 schools 441 41% 0% 46% 42% +42
MitchelstownCork · Limerick · Tipperary · 11 schools 413 43% 0% 37% 42% +42
OldcastleCavan · Meath · 4 schools 228 53% 0% 34% 42% +42
OughterardGalway · 4 schools 263 71% 0% 49% 42% +42
BallybunionKerry · 4 schools 141 41% 0% 36% 41% +41
KinvaraClare · Galway · 6 schools 368 57% 0% 53% 41% +41
EaskeySligo · 7 schools 148 57% 0% 31% 39% +39
RathanganKildare · Offaly · 4 schools 406 50% 0% 42% 39% +39
Ballyfermot–D10Dublin · 11 schools 1,267 42% 0% 36% 38% +38
Doon–CappamoreLimerick · Tipperary · 15 schools 551 46% 0% 39% 38% +38
EnniscroneSligo · 4 schools 213 61% 0% 31% 38% +38
FethardTipperary · 3 schools 137 37% 0% 44% 38% +38
Kildysart–CaherconClare · 6 schools 108 43% 0% 28% 38% +38
SkerriesDublin · 8 schools 631 53% 20% 61% 58% +38
SwinfordMayo · 8 schools 194 48% 0% 31% 38% +38
BallyhaunisMayo · Roscommon · 8 schools 252 35% 0% 33% 37% +37
Bruff–HospitalLimerick · Tipperary · 12 schools 502 49% 0% 30% 37% +37
CastlepollardWestmeath · 7 schools 180 39% 0% 33% 37% +37
KilmuckridgeWexford · 7 schools 336 47% 3% 43% 40% +37
ScariffClare · 9 schools 202 44% 16% 48% 53% +37
BushLouth · 8 schools 288 44% 0% 36% 36% +36
CelbridgeKildare · 8 schools 1,084 42% 14% 52% 50% +36
CharlestownMayo · Sligo · 6 schools 164 43% 0% 32% 36% +36
RochfordbridgeWestmeath · 4 schools 189 42% 0% 31% 36% +36
South Suburbs–CorkCityCork · 6 schools 967 39% 19% 54% 55% +36
TullowCarlow · 11 schools 625 44% 0% 40% 36% +36
CastlecomerKilkenny · 12 schools 328 42% 0% 32% 35% +35
DrumshanboLeitrim · Roscommon · 6 schools 160 49% 0% 26% 35% +35
New RossKilkenny · Wexford · 13 schools 651 38% 7% 38% 42% +35
CarrigallenCavan · Leitrim · 6 schools 161 44% 0% 31% 34% +34
StrokestownRoscommon · 5 schools 161 51% 0% 46% 31% +31
FoxfordMayo · 2 schools 133 43% 0% 31% 30% +30
FerbaneOffaly · Westmeath · 7 schools 261 54% 0% 22% 28% +28
Lacken–BallycastleMayo · 5 schools 103 43% 0% 39% 28% +28
MountmellickLaois · Offaly · 8 schools 373 44% 0% 33% 28% +28
RaphoeDonegal · 12 schools 397 35% 0% 27% 28% +28
BallaghadereenMayo · Roscommon · Sligo · 12 schools 342 37% 0% 33% 25% +25
CootehillCavan · Monaghan · 12 schools 352 42% 10% 30% 35% +25
CrossmolinaMayo · 6 schools 195 43% 0% 24% 25% +25
Darndale–D17Dublin · 5 schools 540 36% 0% 27% 25% +25
KiltimaghMayo · 4 schools 218 42% 0% 28% 23% +23

Ahead of places: the share of parents of children not yet at school who would prefer a multi-denominational patron, less the share of the area's pupils in such schools now, in percentage points. Below zero, fewer parents would prefer it than the area has pupils in such schools.

Grey: fewer than 60 households with children not yet at school answered in that area, so a handful of answers moves the figure a long way.

Source: Department of Education and Youth, Primary School Survey results, published 23 June 2026. The Department's own results: All 314 areas (Excel) · Interactive map · Summary report with county figures (PDF)