Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of the proposed new vocational education committee model primary school for the Diswellstown area in Dublin 15; if a new school (details supplied) will become the new VEC school or if the new VEC school will be a separate school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4573/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2007 I announced that a new State model of community national school, under the patronage of County Dublin Vocational Education Committee (VEC) is to be piloted in two locations from September, 2008, with a third location to come on stream after a transition period. It was announced that one of the two initial schools will be in the Phoenix Park, with the other to be based in Phibblestown, Dublin 15.

The new model has been developed following a period of consultation with all of the main education partners and church groups. As in the primary school system generally, the schools will operate under the management of an independent Board of Management. The VEC will be represented on the Board of Management, as patron, and will provide relevant practical management supports to the school. Arrangements will also be in place to enable the VEC to meet its general financial accountability responsibilities. I also indicated that I would be bringing proposals to Government to provide necessary amending legislation to underpin the VEC role in the primary sector. Pending the enactment of the legislation, I, as Minister for Education and Science, will act as interim patron for the new schools.

In relation to the third school referred to in my announcement of December 2007, which is the school in Diswellstown to which the Deputy refers, it was envisaged that this would transition to the new model after a two year period. This school had been opened in September 2007 under the temporary patronage of the Catholic Archbishop in response to an emerging need that had presented at that time. Following further recent consultations with the school community, the temporary patron and County Dublin VEC, it has now been agreed that the school in question should come under the new pilot patronage model arrangements from this coming September 2008. The position in relation to the possible inclusion of any further schools under the new model in September 2008 is currently being examined in the context of the identified need for new schools in particular areas and a review of expressions of interest received from established patron bodies to open schools in these locations.