Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that I had a discussion with Deputy Ó Ríordáin on this issue earlier. As I said, the Government’s objective is to have at least 400 multidenominational schools in the primary system by 2030 to improve parental choice. I fully support this commitment and the Department is working in this regard. In recent years, there has been progress towards increasing the number of multidenominational primary schools, with the vast majority of new primary schools established to cater for demographic demand in the last decade having a multidenominational ethos. That should not be lost in the discussion.

In March 2022, I announced that arrangements are being put in place in a number of towns and areas of cities that have no multidenominational primary schools to identify potential schools and to engage with school authorities, school staff and the school communities with a view to agreeing on a transfer of patronage and change of ethos, where there is sufficient demand. The schools reconfiguration for diversity process, supporting transfers of schools to multidenominational patrons in response to the wishes of local communities, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multidenominational schools across the country. Where a school transfers from the patronage of one patron to another, the school remains open with the same roll number and operating from the same school property. All State-funded primary schools follow a common national curriculum and are subject to the same rules and regulations.

The ongoing pilot process is engaging with 63 schools in the cities of Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick and in the Arklow, Athlone, Dundalk and Youghal areas. The Council for Education of the Irish Episcopal Conference and relevant bishops have confirmed their willingness to engage and co-operate with my Department in seeking to facilitate a more diverse school patronage in these towns and cities.

The Department has made available a number of independent facilitators, who are former senior inspectors, across the pilot areas to work with the school patron and relevant school authorities at local level. This work involves engagement with school authorities, school staff and parents with a view to agreeing on a transfer of patronage and change of ethos, where there is sufficient demand. This process is about providing information and engaging with and seeking feedback from the school community. The pilot has already facilitated increased diversity, with the announcement on 12 January that a Catholic school in Athlone, Cornamaddy National School, will be transferring patronage from its Catholic patron to Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board.

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