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School Patronage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 March 2018

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Ceisteanna (163)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

163. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Catholic patron in schools (details supplied) was requested to make an existing school building available to a group; if so, the response in each case; his response to the recent proposals by the group for these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11417/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy will be aware, the 2012 Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector recommended that demand for patronage diversity should be met in areas of stable population by divesting patronage of existing schools where there is evidence of parental demand for change.  

In this context, in 2012/13, my Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population to establish the level of demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools.  These areas were all stable in terms of population growth, so no new school places were required. However sufficient demand for more choice emerged in 28 areas, including the areas referred to by the Deputy. 

In the majority of the 28 areas surveyed where sufficient demand emerged, the level of parental demand for a wider choice indicated a size of a four classroom school being required to accommodate such a level of demand.

Following completion of the surveys consultations took place with the main Catholic patrons in each area to discuss patronage divesting options.  Under the patronage divesting process, a school could be opened where a school building became, or was due to become available as a result of an amalgamation/closure of an existing school.  In some areas, in responding to demand for diversity where existing patrons were unable make school properties available, the Department expanded the scope to include an examination of properties held in public ownership.

To date, ten new schools have opened under the patronage divesting process.  Of the five schools referred to by the Deputy, one is operating from a State-owned building and one is located in a former school building owned by the Catholic Church.  In one area a property has transferred from the Catholic Church under the Redress process and arrangements are underway for the necessary works to be carried out in order for the Educate Together school to operate from here. In the remaining two areas, work is ongoing on securing school buildings arising from amalgamations.    

In order to facilitate the opening of the schools, their initial establishment, as with most new schools, has been in temporary start-up accommodation, pending a permanent school building being made available.  All schools, irrespective of their location, have to operate within their available accommodation and manage annual pupil intake accordingly.

The initial establishment of these schools as four-classroom schools and the need to be cognisant of managing the available accommodation has been reflected in my Department’s engagement with the patron body of the schools, Educate Together.  When one of the schools raised the issue of expanding its enrolment, my Department invited Educate Together to submit a case to it in this regard.  A case has been submitted by Educate Together to further expand the five schools and a case for each of these schools is currently under consideration.  A meeting has been arranged with Educate Together to further discuss the issues involved.

My Department is currently carrying out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to identify areas of demographic growth and determine where additional school accommodation is needed in order to plan for school provision nationwide and this work is almost complete.  In this context, the outcome of the nationwide demographic exercises will input into consideration of the case submitted by Educate Together. 

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 would not be reliant on temporary accommodation.

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