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

In recent talks between my Department and the bishops of the Catholic Church, there was a wide-ranging and constructive discussion about the different issues that may arise in planning for the future development of provision for primary education. The Catholic school patrons and my Department agreed it was essential to engage in planning for change.

However, given the complexity of the issues involved and the necessity to take the wishes of local communities into consideration, the bishops did not feel they were in a position to provide a list of schools at this time. To advance the matter, my Department agreed it would instead explore the range of issues involved by identifying specific geographical areas where a change of patronage might be relevant.

The geographic areas chosen would be in areas of low-to-moderate demographic growth where the existing number of schools would not need to be increased in the foreseeable future but where a change of patronage might be relevant to cater for diversity. In areas of rapid population growth requiring new schools, the choice of patron for a new school would continue, as at present, to have regard to the need for diversity.

In this context, departmental officials are carrying out an assessment to identify a number of locations where changes to patronage may be warranted, given changed demographic profiles in recent decades. Clearly, any implementation framework developed to facilitate the possible transfer of patronage would need to be planned and managed. It would be important in individual school cases for consultation to take place with all relevant stakeholders, parents, teachers and local communities. Any changes could only come about by agreement between the various stakeholders.

While I would not rule out the possibility of holding a further forum on school patronage in the future, considerable further thought must be given to the timing and format of such an event. The results of the assessment being undertaken by my Department will also provide useful information in this context.

See this speech in context