The big issues: No 2 - Education: Trying to meet the desire of parents for their children to have a place in school can be difficult when some are forced to put their name down for enrolment as far ahead as 2016, writes John Downes.
But this is just what is happening in Naas CBS, according to Noel Merrick, principal of the North Kildare second-level school.
Partly as a result of massive development in areas such as Sallins, Naas, Kill and Clane, the principal says, towns which were once country villages have grown beyond recognition.
But in many cases children in the area are still expected to attend what is essentially "a little village school." This has led to many schools being completely oversubscribed, although the town is to get a new national school by the end of this year.
"Primary schools in the area are struggling already. The place is completely and utterly jam-packed," Mr Merrick says.
"It's a huge issue for parents. Many of them move out here from the city. They are often very young, but to get into a school they have to have their name down at least five or to six years in advance if they are not coming from our primary feeder school, St Corban's. We already have huge numbers down for 2013. Some parents are enrolling as far ahead as 2016."
Mr Merrick, who estimates he receives between 20 to 30 phonecalls a week from parents inquiring about places in his school, describes the Naas CBS situation as "dreadful altogether."
The school, which was built to accommodate 600 pupils, currently has an enrolment of around 800 and has been waiting since 1999 for a 26-room extension. In the meantime, it has to make do with a five-room extension, currently under construction.
As many parents are new to the area, they are not always a cohesive group who can campaign together for change, Mr Merrick points out.
"Our class sizes are at an absolute maximum," he says. "We need more places and an upgrade of facilities . . . The Government is putting money in, but it is just not doing it quickly enough."
At primary level, class size is another major issue in the North Kildare area, says Raymond King, principal of Scoil na Mainistreach in Cellbridge.
With its young population, the town is a microcosm of modern Ireland, he believes. In many families both parents work, with many commuting to Dublin daily. This also raises huge childcare issues, he points out. According to Fine Gael estimates, parents in the area are paying up to €900 a month on childcare.
But there is a fundamental lack of advance planning in an area where huge growth is forecast, he believes. The short-term solution of prefabricated buildings which, although welcome, is hardly ideal.
Most candidates in the North Kildare constituency are agreed that something needs to be done on the issue of class sizes and are at pains to stress the importance of education in their overall campaigns.
Unsurprisingly, there is also general agreement that the issue of school accommodation is important. Others highlight the lack of sufficient provision for special-needs students as another key concern.
In truth, many of the same issues affecting North Kildare apply equally to the Meath constituency.
Several candidates in the area point to the fact that Meath has among the largest class sizes in Ireland, with some also claiming that almost half of Meath schools have no educational psychologist.
For those working in primary education, the issue of school accommodation looms large, says Maurice Daly, principal of Scoil an Spioráid Naomh in Laytown.
"The majority of people coming down here have small children . . . and the majority are commuting into Dublin," he says. "People come down here and don't realise we don't have the facilities. Schools just can't keep up with the demand."
Mr Daly says he would like to see a second primary school for the area made a major priority, with the addition of a postprimary school in a few years. Traffic congestion in the area is another worry for parents and teachers alike, he says.
In North Kildare, parents are also being forced to enrol their children many years in advance, Mr Daly explains, with some putting their children's names down before they are even born.
At second level, Jerry Kearney, principal of the all-girls Scoil Mhuire in Trim, emphasises the impact of rising insurance costs on his school. These are simply not being met by a capitation grant, which is inadequate, he says.
The issue of how to meet the educational requirements of non-national pupils is another challenge. While they add "a lovely dimension" to the school, the resourcing of language classes is a significant consideration.
School accommodation will also be a serious issue for his school in the future, he warns.
"Even though we are a growth area, it wouldn't really have hit second level yet," says Mr Kearney. "But planning is very ad-hoc and is really on-the-hoof. We certainly will have problems eight to 10 years down the line. All the indications are that we will probably grow to 700-800 pupils, but the school was built for 550 pupils. We have 600 already."