Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank Deputy Timmy Dooley for raising the issue as it provides me with the opportunity to outline the current position in regard to the recognition status of Mol an Óige Steiner national school, Ennistymon, and Raheen Wood Steiner national school in Tuamgraney, County Clare. The matter has previously been raised by Deputies Michael McNamara, Pat Breen and Joe Carey. I understand those Members have facilitated a number of meetings in recent months between the boards of management of the two schools and the Minister and his officials, including the meeting that is taking place in Leinster House today.

The Department has given provisional recognition to the schools in question, both of which follow the Steiner approach to education. All recognised schools, regardless of their philosophy, are required to comply with the Education Act 1998 and the rules for national schools. Deputy Dooley suggested that somebody in the Department might not be in favour of diversity in education. I am sure he is well aware of the Educate Together movement, which very much embraces diversity at the heart of its ethos. As we have done in the past, we continue to facilitate the recognition of schools under the patronage of Educate Together. As such, it is unfair to suggest that any opposition to diversity in the primary school sector is at the heart of the issue facing the two schools in the Deputy's constituency.

Schools seeking permanent recognition must also comply with the procedures applicable to the recognition of new primary schools in regard to patronage, boards of management, implementation of the curriculum and admissions policy and procedures for the appointment of teaching staff. Permanent recognition is contingent on schools demonstrating that they meet these requirements. In the case of Raheen Wood Steiner national school, provisional recognition was initially awarded in 2008 and has since been extended year on year. A process is in place under which the matter of the school's recognition is being assessed. This process is based on undertakings committed to by the school's patron in 2007 which relate to the school's compliance with the standard rules and procedures applicable to the recognition of all primary schools.

Departmental officials met with the patron of Raheen Wood in September and the Department has since confirmed its agreement to extend the school's provisional recognition for a period of three years up to August 2015. This extension will allow the school time to work, with the assistance of the Department's inspectorate, to progress the implementation of the changes in practice required to comply with all of the undertakings committed to by the patron. This extension of the provisional recognition period will not impede the school in being granted permanent recognition within that period, if the criteria for recognition are met.

Mol an Óige Steiner national school was also initially awarded provisional recognition in 2008 and this recognition has been extended year on year. The school is also seeking to have permanent recognition granted and a similar process to Raheen Wood is in train, based also on undertakings committed to by the school's patron in 2007, under which the issue of recognition is being assessed. Departmental officials met with the patron of Mol an Óige today to discuss the school's current position in respect of the undertakings provided. I understand that while issues remain to be resolved, the Department recognises the substantial progress that has been made by the school in regard to most of the undertakings.

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