School Patronage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2013

Thursday, 7 March 2013

Questions (59)

Joe Higgins

Question:

59. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a decision made in his Department to give patronage of a new secondary school for Tyrrelstown, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 to the Catholic Le Chéile trust, in the most religiously diverse and multicultural area in the entire country; and if so, if he will recognise that the decision must now be reviewed as it would make the school inaccessible to a huge number of families who could be forced to commute to schools elsewhere. [11798/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The criteria that applied in awarding patronage of the post primary school for Tyrrelstown-Mulhuddart were as announced by me on 27th June 2011. These criteria provided for a greater diversity of school patronage having regard to parental preferences in each area. One of the criteria provided that the new schools would have to accept all pupils from within the areas they are to serve.

The recommendation made by the New Schools Establishment Group was that the Le Chéile Schools Trust patronage model satisfied all of the criteria, and on the basis of the level of parental demand shown for this type of school, should be awarded patronage. I accepted this recommendation and announced my decision to award patronage of the new school to Le Chéile Schools Trust on 25th July, 2012. It is not proposed to review the decision at this stage.