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 area referred to by the Deputy.
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. Tramore ETNS opened from temporary accommodation in September 2014 under the patronage divesting process pending its permanent accommodation becoming available.
A case has been submitted by Educate Together to the Department to further expand a number of schools opened under the patronage divesting process including this school and this is currently under consideration in the context of the nationwide demographic exercises to identify areas of demographic growth and determine where additional school accommodation is needed and this work is almost complete.
In this regard, Educate Together and the Department had a constructive meeting today concerning the case put forward by Educate Together. Both parties reiterated their commitment to work together to increase diversity of school provision in line with the needs of the communities in these areas. It is envisaged that the detailed response to the case submitted by Educate Together will issue from the Department next week.
My Department has announced a new Patronage Reconfiguration process, which will accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools, to reach 400 multi-denominational and non-denominational 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.
