Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 January 2022
283. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education her plans to increase the number of primary and secondary secular non-denominational school places in the Balgriffin area of Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4167/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, utilising data from a range of sources including child benefit data, departmental pupil databases, CSO statistics and information on recent and planned housing developments to forecast school place requirements at primary and post primary level.
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any increased demand.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
Following such analysis in 2018, four new schools (two primary and two post primary) were announced to be established to serve the Donaghmede_Howth_D13 school planning area, within which Balgriffin is located.
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.
The new Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to all parents and guardians which will allow them to make an informed choice in expressing a preference for their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education.
Three of the new schools in Donaghmede_Howth_D13 have been established and have had their patronage determined through a patronage process:
1. Stapolin Educate Together NS (primary)
2. Belmayne Educate Together SS (post primary)
3. Gaelscoil Ghráinne Mhaol (primary) (under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta)
All three schools are multi-denominational in ethos.
Additionally, there are projects planned and in train at Grange Community College and Gaelcholáiste Reachrainn, both under the patronage of Dublin & Dun Laoghaire ETB, which are providing additional multi-denominational post primary school places in the area.
Further to this, the Schools Recon?guration for Diversity process, supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational schools across the country.
This Reconfiguration process involves the transfer of existing schools as opposed to the amalgamation and/or closure model of the patronage divesting process. The Department has been engaging with representatives of the Irish Episcopal Conference (Catholic bishops) as the majority patron of schools nationwide with a view to developing an agreed approach to the next phase of the process. School communities who wish to explore the potential to transfer patronage should contact their school patron in the first instance.
