Wicklow Secondary School Demand Largely stable, says Department

Some areas will see modest growth while Arklow and Tullow face a decline.

Demand for secondary school places in County Wicklow is expected to remain largely stable over the coming years, according to the Department of Education.

Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton gave the information in a written reply to a parliamentary question from Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore. The Department did not provide year-by-year enrolment forecasts, but set out broader trends up to 2030.

The primary school age population is expected to fall in all school planning areas in the county. At post-primary level, the picture is more mixed:

• Slight increases expected: Kilcoole, Wicklow town, Rathdrum, Dunlavin and Baltinglass
• Steady demand forecast : Blessington, Bray, Greystones, Hacketstown, Castledermot and Carnew
• Decline predicted: Arklow and Tullow

The projections draw on current population data and expected migration from housing development.  Around 2,000 new homes are being completed each year across the school planning areas serving Co. Wicklow.

Where demand grows, the Department says it prefers to expand existing schools rather than build new ones, with new schools generally only where growth is substantial.

More than €299 million has been allocated to Wicklow since 2020, benefiting 52 schools. Nine major projects are under construction, six more are progressing through the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme, and three are expected to go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027.