Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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71. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in respect of the announcement that eight new English medium schools are to be established in 2015/16, the processes his Department are putting in place to measure and assess the demand for the provision of an Aonad, Irish medium unit; the processes that are in place to measure this demand; the requirements there are on patrons to actively offer Irish-medium provision; and the supports his Department will provide to patrons who wish to establish an Aonad. [25391/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Under the new arrangements that I put in place for the establishment of new post-primary schools, prospective patrons must agree to establish an Aonad within an English-medium school subject to parental demand. I have made this known publicly and the matter was addressed at a recent information meeting that my Department held with prospective patrons. The measurement and assessment of parental demand for the commencement of an Aonad in these new schools will be a matter for the patron bodies to treat locally in the first instance. Parents will have the opportunity to express their wishes when they are being canvassed by patron bodies for support in this regard. The usual resources in terms of teaching and accommodation will be provided where any new Aonad is established. The Deputy will be interested to know that I recently approved 3 new stand alone Gaelcholáistí to commence operation between 2013 and 2014.