Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
586. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the patronage of the new primary school for Donabate to be built by 2020 will be decided; when it will be decided by; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34641/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 16 classroom primary school to serve the Donabate school planning area to be established in 2020. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences for each patron, from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.
An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to all parents which will allow them to make an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education. Parental preferences were previously collected based on direct engagement with patron bodies. The Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) is currently live for the post-primary schools to be established in 2019. It is planned that the Patronage Process for new schools to be established in 2020 will commence in 2019.
The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on my Department's website.
An initial phased start-up is envisaged for the new schools, which typically involves the use of interim accommodation. However, this is the first time the requirement for new schools is set out over a 4-year horizon and this will provide a better lead-in period for the planning and delivery of permanent accommodation solutions.
In line with the policy on the use of state assets (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circulars 11/15 and 17/16), my Department will be seeking to maximise the use of sites already in my ownership and of available properties in the ownership of other State bodies, where these are considered suitable.
In addition as part of my Department's ongoing engagement with Local Authorities in respect of statutory planning processes and under the MoU on school site acquisitions, my Department will be examining all potential suitable site options, including appropriately zoned sites, to serve the relevant areas.
Taking into account all of the above, decisions will then be made as part of the site acquisition process in relation to appropriate sites for all the schools announced and will be confirmed at a later date.
