Minister Hildegarde Naughton Welcomes Secondary School Admissions Scheme Expansion to Two Galway Towns
Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, has welcomed the launch of the expanded Apply to School scheme for post-primary schools.
Launched on October 1st, families can now apply online for places in participating schools in Oranmore and Athenry, with admissions closing on Thursday, 22 October.
Schools that have previously participated in the programme include Athenry’s Presentation College, Clarin College, and Coláiste an Eachréidh, and Oranmore’s Calasanctius College.
22 post-primary schools are expected to take part in the expanded Apply to School scheme.
The Apply to School scheme was first introduced in 2025 across 15 towns nationwide, including schools in Athenry, Celbridge, Greystones, Clonakilty, and Tullamore.
The initiative has now been expanded for the 2027/28 admissions cycle, aiming to provide a simpler and more streamlined way to apply for first-year places through a single application form.
Welcoming the launch, Galway West TD and Minister of Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton said: “This is an important step towards delivering a streamlined national approach to school admissions, reducing administrative burdens for schools while providing a more user-friendly experience for families.”
The scheme is expected to benefit around 2,600 families applying for first-year places in October 2026.
Galway parents and guardians are reminded of the 22 October deadline to submit applications to applytoschool.ie.
