Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I rise today in reaction to the disturbing threat to pluralist education in Ireland. There is a restriction in intakes for the next academic year for a number of newly-divested Educate Together schools. My own Educate Together school in Tramore is one of these schools. The staff, board of management and parents are extremely annoyed and angered by what has just happened. There were stories over the weekend in The Irish Timesand elsewhere from other concerned parents and educators in Trim and other towns around Ireland.

Educate Together schools in New Ross, Trim, Tuam, Castlebar and Tramore were told they must accept only a half stream for 2018-19 in order not to threaten the viability of other existing local schools. This is a bizarre statement on many levels. How is it possible that in towns like Tramore with an increasing population and a high demand for both primary and secondary education, the divested schools, which are the very last entrants to the education sector and offer the only non-denominational choice for students and parents in their area, are first in the firing line? A spokesperson for the Department of Education and Skills maintained that this has always been the arrangement under the divestment programme and that Educate Together schools must not crowd out existing schools. If we take the example of Tramore, I know they are already oversubscribed in demand for places for September while the local Gaelscoil has faced lower demand and the other local national schools have maintained a full stream at the maximum number of students allowable under the existing ratios.