Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

While this survey is for secondary schools, this will last for six weeks and then we will need time to collate that information and decide based on the responses where there needs to be further engagement with communities if there is a demand for change. On the issue of patronage, there is not the same breakdown that we might see in primary schools. About 50% of our post-primary schools are denominational and about 50% are non-denominational. However, I accept that in certain areas that is not the case and there is not as much choice for parents. There is validity in looking beyond this survey and potentially looking at certain areas to survey or to engage parents and see if there is a demand for particular changes in those areas.

We are doing this survey in the way that we have done because previously any surveys that were done were done on a smaller scale and they did not work as effectively. We have to take that into consideration in any type of survey or any type of engagement with post-primary schools. Certainly it is something that we need to keep open. We need to engage with schools, parents and communities on the matter and I am very much open to that.

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