Vol. 473 No. 5
50 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that are required in order to grant recognition to a new multi-denominational school; and the number of these pupils that have to be junior infant pupils who have not attended school before. [1765/97]
As I pointed out to the Deputy in my reply to Question No. 47 of 14 November 1996, in the case of the 13 exclusively multi-denominational schools established since 1978, no minimum level of overall enrolment, or of junior infant enrolment, was required for the granting of official recognition. Rather, the growth potential of the applicant schools was determined by my Department on the basis of a detailed examination of each application. The question of granting permanent recognition was considered in the light of each school's development after a number of years of operation, at which stage it would have been possible to project ultimate size and, consequently, the amount of State aided accommodation to be provided.
I have established the Commission on School Accommodation Needs. One of the tasks which I have entrusted to the commission is to draw up detailed criteria for the recognition of new primary schools. The commission has begun work on this task. I will consider how the criteria applicable to new multi-denominational schools should be developed or altered in the light of the commission's recommendations.
