School Patronage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 July 2018

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

Ceisteanna (85)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

85. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the progress in the divestment of church run schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29415/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy may be aware, following on from the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, my Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population in 2012 and 2013 to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within these areas.  Analysis of the parental preferences expressed in each area surveyed indicated that there was sufficient parental demand to support changes in school patronage in 28 areas.  

From 2013 to 2017, ten multi-denominational schools have opened under the patronage divesting process.  As the Deputy may be aware, the divestment model does not involve building new schools but requires the availability of school premises vacated, for example, due to amalgamation or closure.

Given the modest pace of progress with the Patronage Divestment process, I developed the new schools reconfiguration for diversity process, which is aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment for 400 such schools by 2030.  I believe that this new Schools Reconfiguration process, which involves the transfer of live schools, has the potential to significantly increase patron diversity in our school system.  Already the first reconfiguration has successfully taken place, with Two-Mile Community National School opening in September 2017 under the "Early Movers" provision of this new process.

While these new structures are being introduced, my Department is continuing to work with the main stakeholders to progress delivery of diversity in areas already identified as part of the 2012 and 2013 surveys.