Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As I understand it, the new Church of Ireland school in Greystones will cater only for children in the Greystones area. Educate Together will continue its campaign for a new secondary school to service the larger area to which I referred. As I said, there are five primary schools under the patronage of that body in the Wicklow-Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area. In most cases, the parents of the children attending these schools would like them to be able to avail of an Educate Together secondary education, either in County Wicklow or south Dublin. The demand for Educate Together schools at both primary and secondary level continues to grow.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn's engagement on the issue of school patronage and the decision to nominate Educate Together as a patron for secondary schools. However, there are many parents in County Wicklow who are very disappointed that their children cannot progress to a secondary school of the same ethos within their area. There is a significant urgency to this issue as the children currently in Educate Together primary schools progress through the system. I will convey the Minister of State's response to the parents concerned and advise them to contact the Department when the new round of schools is announced.

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