Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

There is an established procedure under which any potential sponsors of a new school or a group seeking recognition under the Education Act for a school that is already operating can apply for recognition of the school concerned. If a school is granted recognition the person or body that requested recognition becomes the patron of the school as defined in the Education Act 1998. This means the recognition of the patron is an element of the recognition of the particular school and is not a stand-alone process.

Applications for recognition of two primary schools were received in January 2006 from County Clare Vocational Education Committee. In response the VEC was advised the applications did not comply with the established and published application procedure because it had not made an initial notification of intention to apply for recognition by 20 September 2005, the first key step under the procedures. My role in the procedure is to consider the report made to me by the new school advisory committee at the end of the process on all valid applications considered by it. It is, therefore, appropriate that I do not comment on any potential applications.

VECs have traditionally acted as patron in respect of post-primary school provision either on a stand-alone basis or as a partner in the State-initiated community and comprehensive sector. Any involvement in the primary sector would be a new departure.

I have not ruled out that there may be circumstances where the VEC system will have a role to play in primary education provision. I am conscious of the challenges that lie ahead in primary school provision, given the changing demographics and increasing cultural diversity in society.

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