Kilkenny City has an established role as a centre for education and learning. Historically the city has been known as a National Centre of second level education. Education is a very important factor in the economic development of both our national and local economy. Our labour depends on the development of skills through education and training.

As advised in the Planning Guidelines on Childcare facilities, Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council have prepared policies and objectives for the provision of childcare facilities.

Childcare is taken to mean full day care and sessional facilities and services for pre school children and school going children out of hours.

The national policy on childcare is “to increase the number of childcare places and facilities available and to improve the quality of childcare services for the community, including crèches and other childcare facilities”.

With the increasing labour market participation among women, together with the increasing numbers of women wishing to return to education and training, there is a growing demand for childcare provision in areas close to employment and further education and in residential areas.

It is the policy of Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council to facilitate the provision of childcare as part of our programme to encourage local economic development and address poverty and social inclusion amongst all sectors of the community.

It is the policy of Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council to make appropriate provision for childcare facilities and to seek their provision concurrent with development in all residential and commercial developments and in existing development.

Currently there are 10 primary schools, 6 secondary schools and 3 special schools for pupils with disabilities. A number of schools in the city have a need for additional play, sports and car parking facilities. Improvements in standard of accommodation and facilities in existing schools are envisaged for the Plan period

Table 3.3: Comparison of schools between 1992-2000.

Within Kilkenny City and Environs there are 7,019 students attending primary and post primary education and special education. The declining birth rate has resulted in a reduction in the number of children at primary school. This will eventually impact on the numbers of pupils entering second level education.

Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council will work the relevant bodies to encourage the following;

• Prevention of early school leaving;
• Increased retention rate at school;
• Expansion in adult education and second chance education and training opportunities;
• Widening of access to third level education.

Early school leaving remains a worrying societal concern. However, within Kilkenny City and County, Kilkenny Employment for Youth has been running successful programmes providing the necessary full time training for early school leavers, long term unemployed and people from marginalized groups and communities. This programme is funded by FAS.

Kilkenny Youthreach programme is a new programme for early school leavers and is managed by County Kilkenny Educational Committee in association with Youth and Community Partnerships.

It is the policy of Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council to facilitate participation by the long term unemployed, people from marginalized groups and communities (persons from disadvantaged backgrounds, persons with mobility impairment) in adult education, further education and training courses.

An outreach facility of NUI Maynooth and Queens University Belfast has established a campus in St Kierans College over the last development plan period. Through the activities of the Outreach Campus steering committee and through Kilkenny County Council, substantial funding has been raised locally.

An outreach facility has also been developed at Seville Lodge on the Callan Road in conjunction with the Carlow Institute of Technology. With further funding, development of both these outreach facilities would be capable of delivering customized responses to current needs across a full range of course offerings.

The Government has recently committed itself to the appointment of a director to further strengthen the education base and establish more effective links with higher and third level institutions.

A post graduate certificate course for fully skilled crafts people is provided by the Crafts Council of Ireland at the Cresent Workshop at Kilkenny Castle Stable Yard.

It is the policy of Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council:

a) To actively encourage links with the surrounding colleges and Institutes and market their skills and courses to the advantage of the City and Environs;
b) To actively encourage expansion of the outreach campuses of NUI Maynooth and CIT in Kilkenny which will complement local enterprise development;
c) To facilitate the continued development of technical and vocational training and foster links between the surrounding third level institutions in Carlow, Waterford, Clonmel and Maynooth;
d) To actively promote and facilitate the foundation of a university for the South East in Kilkenny City.

Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council will actively seek to co-ordinate with the VEC, FAS and other such bodies to facilitate a broad range of educational and training facilities and to ensure that information on these educational facilities is made available in accordance with the requirements of the relevant educational authorities.

It is an objective of the Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council:

1. To ensure that provision of access for the mobility impaired to and from existing public buildings and that all future buildings are designed in accordance with “Building for everyone – Access and use for all citizens” (1998) from the National Rehabilitation Board.

2. To ensure adequate land and services are reserved where demand exists for the establishment, improvement or expansion of educational facilities.