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

Educate Together is held in very high esteem in my Department. We take its applications very seriously and we know if it is appointed as a patron it will do an exceptionally good job. I have a role as Minister for Education and Science to make sure that whatever I put in place has a legal basis and a sound framework. I also have to examine any new patron, the school it intends to develop and the impact that school will have on other schools. I have to establish the cost of the various associated costs with the establishment of the school and its long-term viability. All of these issues have now been considered. The legal aspects have been considered and I hope to be in a position to bring it to Cabinet shortly.

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