Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the powers she has to establish a primary school or second level school with her or the Government serving as the patron; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17983/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Section 8 of the Education Act 1998 set out the basis for the patronage of schools. It is already the case that I, as Minister for Education and Science, am patron of Model Schools in the primary sector. In the post-primary sector, the Minister for Education and Science, and the State, through the Vocational Education Committees, is involved in the patronage of schools in the voluntary, community and comprehensive sectors.