Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú:

We carried out a survey around 2005 and would have had that information from then, so that is the evidential basis we have for that. There are two other ways in which we are seeking to enhance multidenominational provision in addition to new schools. One is what was called divesting arising from the report of the forum on pluralism. A number of areas were identified and we seeking to negotiate in those areas for existing schools or school buildings that might not be in use or other public sector buildings to be transferred to our ownership or leased to us to enable us to open schools. We have succeeded in about eight or ten schools in that regard. I have the precise figure but I do not have it to hand. We have initiated a further process where we are seeking to engage with the ETBs, communities and existing school patrons to see if there are possibilities for patronage change. We are trying in a number of different ways. It is a challenge because we do not own the school buildings. The school buildings are owned by the local communities. Regarding support for change in the community, if one takes a community that might have five schools, each of which might contain 20% who would like a change, it means that there is no majority for change in any of the five schools. However, in the area as a whole, possibly a total of a single school population would wish to change.

This is down to negotiation in communities and so on and we see a potential valuable role for the education and training boards in having an involvement so there is not a perception of a top down approach from the Department in communities.