Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 629: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the provision of core funding for the development of multi-denominational primary education here is a right that arises as understood by the UNHCR; his views on such a right; and if he will confirm that such a right exists for the Minister for Education and Science. [22039/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On 10 March last the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination did not issue a judgment imposing an obligation on the Irish State to promote the establishment of multidenominational schools. Rather the committee encouraged Ireland to promote the establishment of non-denominational or multidenominational schools.

The committee recommended that this matter be addressed along with all other observations made when Ireland submits its third and fourth periodic reports by January 2008. My Department will furnish its response on this specific observation as part of that wider reporting by Ireland requested by the committee.

As regards annual funding for Educate Together, the group which promotes the development of multidenominational schools, the position is that my Department is currently engaged in discussions with this group in relation to this matter. The provision of some additional funding in 2005, to meet the immediate issues of concern to Educate Together, is under discussion along with their longer term needs. The current level of funding that my Department provides to Educate Together as a school management body is on a par with that provided to Foras Patrúnachta na Gaelscoileanna, the Church of Ireland Board of Education, the Islamic Board of Education and the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education.

As regards support for the establishment of new multidenominational schools, it should be noted that the Department has supported the establishment of many new Educate Together schools in recent years. Of the 24 new schools granted provisional recognition in the past three years, 12 of them are under Educate Together patronage. The Department has made a number of changes in recent years which have made the provision of accommodation for new schools much easier. One of these changes, which was strongly welcomed by Educate Together, was the abolition of the local contribution to the building costs for state-owned school buildings, which had cost up to €63,500 per school. Other innovations include the development of the design and build model to provide permanent accommodation much faster- such as in the case of the new Educate Together school in Griffeen Valley, Lucan which was designed and built in under 13 months.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 630: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will accord such rights as will meet the terms of United Nations Commission for Human Rights understanding in relation to the provision of multidenominational primary education here; if she will confirm the Government's intention to have such rights vindicated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22058/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I want to clarify that on 10 March last the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination did not issue a judgment imposing an obligation on the Irish State to promote the establishment of multi-denominational schools. Rather the committee encouraged Ireland to promote the establishment of non-denominational or multidenominational schools.

The committee recommended that this matter be addressed along with all other observations made when Ireland submits its third and fourth periodic reports by January 2008. My Department will furnish its response on this specific observation as part of that wider reporting by Ireland requested by the committee.

As regards the establishment of new multi-denominational schools in recent years, it should be noted that of the 24 new schools granted provisional recognition in the past three years, 12 of them are under Educate Together patronage. Of the other 12 schools granted provisional recognition, six are Gaelscoileanna, five are under Catholic patronage and one is under the patronage of the Church of Ireland. The procedures for establishing new schools are extremely fair and transparent. All potential sponsors of schools, whether the patron is one of Catholic, Protestant, Muslim or Jewish faith or one such as Educate Together or part of the Gaelscoileanna movement, are treated on an equal basis.

The criteria and procedures for the recognition of new primary schools were revised in 2002, based on the recommendations of a report of the Commission on School Accommodation, on which the education partners were represented. Applications for the recognition of new schools are assessed by an independent advisory board — the new schools advisory committee — on the basis of the facts provided by the patron body in support of the case for the new school and the likely demand for places. Schools are granted provisional recognition and permanent recognition follows when long term viability has been established on actual enrolments over a period.