Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Deputy Bruton, for coming to the House to take this issue. It is a very important issue for parents and pupils in the constituency of Limerick City.

I want to clarify a number of points with the Minister. The two schools in question are for the Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret area to be based in Mungret, and the greater Castletroy area. They are known as the Limerick city environs south west for Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret, and Limerick city environs east and the greater Castletroy area.

The need for these schools was highlighted in a report on the configuration and development of post-primary school provision for Limerick city and parts of its environs from 2014 to 2024 which was completed for the Department in 2014. The report identified a need for two new schools in the Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret area to be based in Mungret, and the greater Castletroy area. In the Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret area it showed an expected population increase of 5,400 up to 2022 and for Castletroy an extra 3,600 in population. Specifically, it stated that there was a need over the next ten years for an extra 1,700 post-primary places in Limerick city and its environs and these two areas were identified. The Department document, Arrangement for Patronage in the Establishment of New Post Primary Schools, refers to demographics. The two areas requiring two new secondary schools were the Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret area, and the greater Castletroy area.

The closing date for applications from patrons was Wednesday, 8 June. How many potential patrons applied and who were they? What is the timeframe for the consideration? When will the announcement be made? What are the criteria for the selection of the patron? It is extremely important that the needs of children and their parents, living in the areas identified in the report completed for the Department in 2014 are catered for. Those areas are Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret, and the greater Castletroy area. They were the areas that had huge growth in the population of school-going children giving rise to the need for schools to be located in those areas.

Can the Minister confirm the proposed sites for these two new schools in Mungret and Castletroy?What sites have been identified and where does the Minister expect them to be? When are the schools expected to be opened? We understand that the two schools will each cater for 600 pupils and it is extremely important that parents are given certainty about the building programme. We understand that Mungret will be opening in September 2017 and that the school to be located in the greater Castletroy area will open in September 2018. Living in Castletroy, I am aware that we have a fine school in Castletroy College, but there is a clear need for another school to cater for the increasing number of school-going children coming up. Preference forms were provided whereby parents had to indicate to the Department which patron they preferred. It made no reference to the school that the particular student or pupil was attending. I hope there will be such a reference as it would give a clear indication of the need within the schools in the areas of Dooradoyle, Raheen, Mungret and Castletroy.

Finally, who will be making the recommendation? It is something parents and pupils are entitled to certainty on. The wishes of parents living in the areas to which I refer must be given weight and taken on board in terms of the criteria being considered as to who will be appointed patron and the type of school it will be. The Minister might just provide clarity in that regard.