Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 664: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide such support for multi-denominational primary education here as will meet the human rights entitlements as understood by the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva; if she will confirm such a principle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22017/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I wish 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 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 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.

In relation to the establishment of new multidenominational schools in recent years, it should be noted that of the 24 new schools granted provisional recognition in the past three years, 12 of which 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 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.