Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way he proposes to vindicate the constitutional rights of the parents who live in Portobello across Dublin 6, 8 and 12, and who are involved with the Portobello Educate Together group, to ensure that their children receive a primary education that is in accordance with their conscience and lawful preference; if he will explain the way to vindicate the rights of those parents and their children if the current negotiations he is carrying out on the transformation or divestment of existing school premises are unsuccessful in generating a new multi-denominational school in the local area for September 2013. [41432/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As you will be aware in June of last year I announced that up to 40 new schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. These consisted of twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools. This announcement did not include a proposal to establish a new primary school in the area referred to by the Deputy. However, the Forward Planning Section of my Department will continue to monitor enrolments in the Portobello area to ensure that there is sufficient school accommodation to meet any projected future demands.

As you may also be aware I recently announced an action plan in response to the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. As part of this, I have requested that the process leading to divesting of patronage in areas of stable population begin immediately. It is proposed that surveys will be conducted by my Department during the Autumn in 44 identified areas, with a pilot in five of the 44 areas to commence during October. These surveys will be conducted with a view to determining parental preferences regarding school patronage in these areas.