Seán Sherlock
Question:560. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of work on creating a new school (details supplied). [14950/20]
View answerTuesday, 14 July 2020
Questions (560)
Written answers
The patronage divesting process arises from the recommendations of the 2012 report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, following which the Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population in 2012 and 2013 to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within these areas. Analysis of the parental preferences expressed in each area surveyed indicated that there was sufficient parental demand to support changes in school patronage, including in the area to which the Deputy refers.
For such areas, the patronage divesting process was intended to be based on using school buildings which had closed or where a school building may be freed up as a result of an amalgamation of two or more schools. In some areas, including in the case of the area referred to by the Deputy, in responding to demand for diversity where existing patrons were unable make school properties available, my Department also included an examination of properties held in public ownership.
To date, it has not been possible to secure a school property to facilitate a new school being established in the area. However, the Department is continuing its efforts in relation to identifying a suitable solution under the patronage divesting process.
In addition, the requirement for new schools to meet emerging demographic demand is kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard to the impact of the increased roll out of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.