Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

Changes in the landscape of Irish society as well as current economic constraints provide a backdrop for the challenges facing our education system over the coming years. In June last year I hosted a conference on the governance challenges for future primary school needs and the need to provide an opportunity for patron bodies, the wider education partners and others with an interest in the future of our primary education system to collectively reflect on the challenges we face in shaping the system to respond appropriately to changing societal demands.

Participants at the conference considered the long-term challenges of organising and developing our system of school governance to accommodate societal change and new parental demands and aspirations will be subject to consideration. The conference also dealt with a range of associated issues such as the challenges of capacity constraints, the provision of choice for parents, ensuring whole community inclusion in our schools as well as the implications of societal change on enrolment policies and approaches to the teaching of religion in multi-faith environments. Discussions focused on the particular challenges of ethos and inclusion for patron bodies, under old and new patronage models, including the model to be piloted in two community national schools, Scoil Ghráinne, Phibblestown, and Scoil Choilm, Porterstown from September 2008. While I would not rule out the possibility of holding a further forum on school patronage in the future, I believe that considerable further thought must be given to the timing and format of such an event.

My Department is currently consulting directly with patrons about specific areas where the establishment of new schools will be required and how emerging demands in these areas will be addressed and, as part of the process, will be seeking details of any schools where a change of patronage might potentially be relevant. A review of procedures for establishment of new primary schools is being undertaken by the commission on school accommodation. Among the range of issues being considered is the issue of patronage including the criteria that must be met to become a patron and the circumstances where changes to patronage may be warranted.

I believe it would be premature to embark on a national discussion on school patronage until these matters have been progressed.

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