Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 March 2012
191 Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the patronage process for the new secondary school in County Dublin, the number of children who reside in the parish (details supplied) and are included within the submission for patronage from the vocational education committee as declaring a preference for a VEC community college in the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12687/12]
View answer192 Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the patronage process for the new secondary school in County Dublin, the number of children who reside in the parish (details supplied) and are included within the submission for patronage from the Educate Together body as declaring a preference for an Educate Together second level school in the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12688/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together.
As the Deputy is aware, in June 2011 I announced that 20 new primary and 20 new post-primary schools are to be established in the next six years across a number of locations. This announcement included a proposal to establish a new post-primary school in the area referred to by the Deputy. This school is to be established in September 2013. The closing date for receipt of applications for patronage of the post-primary schools to be established in 2013 and 2014 was Friday 24th February 2012.
Under the application criteria for patronage, applicants were required to provide evidence of parental demand by signing up lists of parents who expressed interest in having their children educated in their new school. They were also required to confirm willingness to enrol children in the area for whom the Department has identified the need for a school. The Forward Planning Section of my Department will assess all applications in line with the announced criteria and will prepare a report for submission to the New Schools Establishment Group, which will in turn submit its report to me for final consideration and decision. Details of the new arrangements for patronage of new schools and the criteria for deciding on patronage of these new schools are available on my Department's website, www.education.ie.
