Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter as it allows me to apprise the House of the background to, and progress in piloting, a new model of community primary school in Diswellstown.

Historically, the church authorities, mainly Catholic and Church of Ireland, acted as patrons or sponsors of primary schools by initiating the process of establishing a new school when one was needed to serve a specific geographic area. This model of school provision has evolved incrementally to reflect changes in demand and in the expectations of society, notably the demand for diversity. With these changes, there has been an increase in the number of patron bodies seeking recognition for new schools.

The present model of primary school provision has served the country well. When the Minister for Education and Science announced her intention earlier this year to pilot a new patron model for primary schools, she made it clear that this would provide an additional patronage option and was not intended to replace the existing patron models. Following her announcement, officials in the Department engaged in consultations with the education partners and the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee to explore the detailed implementation measures that must be put in place prior to the opening of the proposed new school.

The new model will be introduced on a pilot basis in the first instance at a school to be built in Diswellstown, County Dublin. It is intended that this school will be community-based and will operate within the administrative framework of the County Dublin VEC. Once the pilot phase has been evaluated and the various issues that may arise identified and resolved, consideration can be given to allowing other VECs to establish community primary schools. Meanwhile, my Department will continue to prepare for the establishment phase for the Diswellstown school. While the exact location of the new school in Diswellstown has yet to be finalised, two potential sites are being considered and my Department has asked Fingal County Council to expedite the process as a matter of urgency.

The Department has intervened at primary level in the Dublin 15 area in response to the acknowledged need for considerable extra school places. These interventions include measures to increase the capacity of existing schools, as well as the development of new schools to meet the growing demand. The provision of increased places is, and will continue to be, backed up by a significant construction programme which has already delivered three new primary schools in the recent past, with another on site. Together with radical changes in how projects are planned and delivered, adequate primary school places in west Dublin will be ensured well into the future.

My Department is advancing plans to make considerable extra post-primary provision available in the Dublin 15 area. Four such schools will be provided in the coming years, each catering for 1,000 pupils. These schools are being provided in Phibblestown, Tyrellstown, Hansfield and Castleknock. Last Friday the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, officially opened the new Educate Together national school in Castleknock, Dublin 15, catering for a student population of some 400, which cost over €5 million.

My Department will liaise with the local authority and use its other information sources to ensure that whatever other school accommodation needs emerge in the Dublin 15 area will be addressed as expeditiously as possible. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and allowing me to clarify the position on the pilot patron model and ongoing developments in the area.

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