Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2017
140. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the status of the process to determine patronage of a new primary school to serve an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7549/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, four new primary schools and nine new post-primary schools will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs. These schools include a new primary school which will open in September 2017 to serve the area of Dublin to which the Deputy refers.
When it is decided that a new school is required to meet demographic needs in an area, a separate patronage process is conducted to decide who will operate the school. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply for patronage of a school under this process. Parental preferences for each patron and for Irish-medium or English-medium provision, together with the extent of diversity currently available in the area, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.
The patronage process for the four primary schools is ongoing. The closing date for receipt of applications was 6th January last and my Department is currently assessing the applications received. This assessment stage involves very detailed work, including geo-coding each parental preference received to establish if they represent a parent of a child living in the school planning area the school is set up to serve. Following completion of this detailed analysis, my Department will prepare detailed assessment reports in relation to each of these new schools based on the applications received. These will then be submitted to the New Schools Establishment Group for their consideration. Following completion of Group's work, they will submit a report with recommendations to me for my consideration and final decision.
