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School Patronage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 March 2018

Thursday, 29 March 2018

Questions (57)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

57. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if restrictions on Educate Together national schools admissions will be ceased in view of his position of supporting parental choice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14380/18]

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Written answers

A case was submitted by Educate Together to my Department in relation to enrolment levels at five schools under its patronage, opened under the patronage divesting process - Tramore ETNS, New Ross ETNS, Trim ETNS, Tuam ETNS and Castlebar ETNS.

My Department considered the case put forward by Educate Together in relation to each of the five divested schools, both on the practicalities of each particular situation and in the broader policy context, and met with Educate Together on 16th March in this regard.

At the meeting both parties reiterated their commitment to work together to increase diversity of school provision in line with the needs of the communities in these areas.  While it was acknowledged that this needs to be managed within the constraints of the accommodation that can be made available and recognising that these are areas of stable demographics, the five schools, taking the above into account, can be facilitated to develop over time.

In this regard, my Department wrote to Educate Together on 23rd March, indicating responses in relation to each school, dependent on the availability of permanent or temporary accommodation in each case.  Essentially, these schools can be facilitated to develop over time but enrolment in each school will need to be managed within the constraints of the accommodation that can be made available. 

I have announced a new Patronage Reconfiguration process, which will accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools, to reach 400 live schools by 2030. Unlike the previous process, this plan will focus on live transfers, so that a school which transfers under this process will not be reliant on permanent or temporary accommodation becoming available over time.

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