John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

57. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process for assigning the patronage of new primary and secondary schools; and how a body can apply to be assigned as a patron. [15114/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since 2011 new schools are generally only established in areas of demographic growth. My Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my own Department's databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.

When it is decided that a new school is required to meet demographic needs in an area, the Department runs a separate patronage process to decide who will operate the school. The criteria used in relation to patronage of the new schools place a particular emphasis on parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage, with parental preferences at the centre of the process. In this regard, patron bodies and prospective patrons applying for the patronage of a new school announced by the Department must collect and demonstrate evidence of parental demand for the model of provision proposed as part of their application under the patronage process.

As part of this process, a New Schools Establishment Group was put in place to advise the Minister on the patronage of the new schools following its consideration of an assessment report which is prepared by the Department on the applications that are received from patron bodies.

It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply for patronage of the school under this process and parental preferences for each patron are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of the process. Further details can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie.