Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when decisions will be made on the patronage and site of the new primary school in the Goatstown and Stillorgan area of County Dublin; if she will involve the parents in these decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42446/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Education and Skills and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in relation to the acquisition of sites has been in place since 2012. This MOU fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the Local Authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use. A copy of this MoU, which sets out the respective roles of the local authority and the Department, is available on my Department's website.

Officials in the Department are working with officials from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council under the MOU in relation to the acquisition process for a suitable permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers. The criteria for assessment of proposed school sites is set out in the Department's technical guidance documents.

As with all such new schools, my Department will shortly run an open patronage determination process to establish the patronage arrangements for the new school. It will be open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply to run the school in question in line with established arrangements.