Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how he will work with his colleague the Minister with responsibility for regional development, rural affairs, arts and the Gaeltacht to ensure that parents can access second level education through Irish, especially in areas with proven demand for gaelscoileanna. [19818/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, the Arts and the Gaeltacht and her officials are briefed on education matters as they relate to the Gaeltacht and in particular as they relate to the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht Act 2012. The Government has set out its commitments to the Gaeltacht and to the Irish language in the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language 2010 – 2030. The Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017 -2022 is a key commitment by the Department of Education and Skills to the Twenty Year Strategy.

In relation to school provision nationwide, my Department is focused on ensuring that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place. In this regard, my Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses a range of data sources in carrying out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary levels. The outcome of the 2015 demographic exercises, based on the GIS, was the announcement in November 2015 of the establishment of four new primary schools and nine new post-primary schools to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs.

After it is decided that a new school is required, a separate patronage process is conducted to establish who will run the school. In April this year, my Department issued an invitation to school patron bodies and prospective patron bodies to apply for the patronage of the nine new post-primary schools to open in 2017 and 2018. The criteria used in relation to patronage of new schools places particular emphasis on parental demand for plurality and diversity, with parental preferences at the centre of the process. In this regard, as part of the application process, prospective patrons must submit completed parental preferences, including whether parents wish their child(ren) to be educated through the medium of Irish or of English.

The closing date for receipt of applications to my Department was 8th June and my Department is currently in the process of assessing the applications received as part of the patronage process for the nine new schools. Following completion of this analysis, my Department will prepare detailed assessment reports in relation to each of these new schools based on the applications received, for the consideration of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG), which will then submit a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision.