Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
446. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options available to parents who wish their children to commence Catholic primary school in Ashbourne, County Meath in the years September 2013, 2014 or 2015 in view of the lack of availability of places at this time; the measures he will take to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16882/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraPrior to September 2011, there were three primary schools in the Ashbourne area, all of which were under Catholic patronage. During 2010 and 2011, the Department had been examining the question of increasing the number of primary school places in the area to cater for the expected increase in enrolments. The patron indicated that, following local consultation in the area, the consensus was that the parish should not be involved in further primary school provision in the area.
My Department subsequently put in place an application and patron selection process for the establishment of new schools to cater for increasing demographics in Ashbourne. Applications for patronage of proposed new schools were received from An Foras Patrúnachta and from Educate Together, both of whom are well established national patron bodies. Both patron bodies proposed to establish multi-denominational schools. Given that all existing schools in Ashbourne were Catholic in ethos, the provision of multi-denominational schools would increase diversity and parental choice in the area. Following consideration of these applications, approval was given for the commencement of a new Gaelscoil, which opened in September 2011, and a new Educate Together School, which opened in September 2012.
Notwithstanding this and following recent engagement between my Department and the local primary schools, my Department has approved the expansion of St. Declan's National School to a fully vertical 3-stream school from September 2013. In addition, approval has been conveyed to Gaelscoil na Mí and Ashbourne Educate Together National School to accept an intake of two Junior Infant Classes each from September next.
With the commencement of the two new primary schools in the area, together with the proposed school expansions from September 2013, there will be capacity for up to ten junior infant classes across the five schools from September 2013. Six of these junior infant classes will be provided in schools with a Catholic ethos and four will be provided in schools with a multi-denominational ethos. This additional capacity at junior infant level should be more than sufficient to meet the projected demand for school places in the area.
As the Deputy may be aware, my Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
