Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he envisages the vocational education committees having a greater role in the provision of primary education; and if he supports the community national school model. [9878/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The role of Vocational Education Committees in the provision of primary education and the future of the community national school model are matters for consideration in the context of the wider patronage agenda at primary level.

As the Deputy will be aware, I recently officially launched the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector and its work is now underway. This process is a key objective of the Programme for Government for the education sector and a personal priority which I am pleased to have been to convene it so quickly.

The terms of reference of the Forum are to advise me on: how it can best be ensured that the education system can provide a sufficiently

diverse number and range of primary schools catering for all religions and none; the practicalities of how transfer/divesting of patronage should operate for

individual primary schools in communities where it is appropriate and

necessary; how such transfer/divesting can be advanced to ensure that demands for

diversity of patronage (including from an Irish language perspective) can be

identified and met on a widespread basis nationally.

The Advisory Group which I have appointed to conduct the Forum will receive and assess the various views and perspectives of participants and to then provide me with policy advice having regard to the Terms of Reference.

The outcome of this process will inform future thinking and policy making on a range of issues, including the matters raised by the Deputy. In the meantime, I have deferred the introduction of legislation to enable VEC patronage at primary level. The Community National Schools, of which I am Patron, will continue to be managed by my Department.