John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Mulherin may be happy with the answer I will give her today. I thank her for raising the matter. As she may be aware, the Newtownwhite Educate Together national school opened in September 2014 under the patronage divestment process. The process is one of a number of steps taken by the Department of Education and Skills to provide a more diverse range of primary schools to cater for children of all religions.Under this process, following surveys undertaken in 2012 and 2013, it was envisaged that existing school patrons would make buildings surplus to requirement available for greater diversity if sufficient demand for a school under different patronage could be demonstrated. Some 11 new multi-denominational schools have been established under the process, with another due to be established in September.

As the Senator will be aware, the patronage of schools often involves ownership of schools and school properties. The ownership and control of school property can be a complex issue, both constitutionally and in respect of property law and rights. The ownership of the vast majority of school property by religious orders and trusts is an historical legacy of how Ireland's education system developed. Typically, ownerships involve religious trusts; trustees; religious orders; bishops, both as landowners and school patrons; and the State. The divesting of the school in Newtownwhite to Educate Together was facilitated by transfer from the Church of Ireland. The Church of Ireland Trustees, which owns the property, and Educate Together engaged directly with each other in respect of the leasing arrangements for the property. A draft lease was drawn up but was not finalised and executed between the parties. The school authorities submitted an application to the Department for additional accommodation in September 2019 because an additional teacher had been sanctioned for the school. The Department recently approved funding for additional accommodation for the school to construct two mainstream classrooms, one special education teacher room and one toilet for assisted users. Given the timeframe for the planning permission process and the construction period, the school is working on interim solutions for September 2019.

On foot of a request from one of the parties, given that the school has been located in the property since 2014 and in recognition of the additional accommodation to be made available for the property, the Department recently agreed to engage with the representatives of the landowners with a view to regularising the position on the lease, which is good news for the Senator. I have been told by the Department to inform the Senator that the case is being actively progressed. As the engagement is ongoing, however, it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on it, although the Department is committed to finishing the process. Perhaps in a few weeks I will be able to provide further information but I am not currently at liberty to comment on the progress of the engagement.