Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason the VEC have been debarred from applying for the potential governance of new primary schools, which may or may not be established by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25177/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In February 2007 I announced my intention to introduce a new model of primary school patronage and that my Department would engage in a consultation process with the relevant stakeholders in relation to the implementation measures required.

Pending the completion of the consultation process and the evaluation of the pilot community primary school project, I decided as a matter of policy that no vocational education committee (with the exception of the aforementioned pilot community primary school project) should act as a patron in respect of a primary school or otherwise, establish or maintain a primary school until further notice. I therefore directed all Vocational Education Committees not to establish or maintain a primary school and not to seek recognition of a primary school or recognition as a Patron pursuant to the provisions of the Education Act 1998 until further notice or direction.