Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the location of schools under religious patronage which he will divest in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18733/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government's objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system. The desire of parents for diversity in education is primarily being pursued by increasing the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools with a view to reaching 400 by 2030. Progress on the divestment process has, in recent years, been slower than might have been hoped. However, by developing new approaches I am convinced that we can significantly increase the rate of progress. The Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to facilitate this process and I am progressing these matters as a priority.

In relation to the new schools which will open in 2016 under the patronage divesting process, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a new multidenominational primary school will open in Greenhills, Dublin, in September 2016 under this process. My Department and representatives of the Dublin Archdiocese and of the local parish have agreed that a former school building in which St. Peters Boys' National School, Limekiln Road, Greenhills was located, will be made available to the Department for educational use. My Department and Archdiocese representatives have worked, and continue to work, very closely on the practicalities of the property issues involved in advance of this school opening from the start of the coming school year 2016/17. My Department is also liaising closely with the patron of the new school, Educate Together, in this regard.

My Department is also continuing to work very closely with Mayo County Council in order to make a Council-owned property in Castlebar, which is currently vacant, available to my Department for educational use under the divesting process. This will facilitate a new multi-denominational primary school opening under the patronage of Educate Together for the start of the coming school year.