Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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283. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 21 June 2016, to provide details of the process for development of the new schools in the Dublin 2, 4, and 8 areas; and the status of the process and the groups which have expressed an interest in running the schools. [21160/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware the outcome of the latest 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. These schools include a new primary school which will open in 2018 to serve the Dublin South City Centre areas of Dublin 2, 4 and 6 and a new post-primary school will also open in 2018 to serve the areas of Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8.

When it is decided that a new school is required to meet demographic needs in an area, a separate patronage process is conducted to decide who will operate the school. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply for patronage of a school under this process. Parental preferences for each patron, together with the extent of diversity currently available in the area, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process. In this regard, as part of the application process, prospective patrons must submit completed parental preferences.

Regarding the patronage process for the nine new post-primary schools, including the new school to serve the Dublin South City Centre, this process is currently ongoing. The closing date for receipt of applications was 8th June and 24 separate applications were received over the nine schools. My Department is currently assessing the applications received. This assessment stage involves very detailed work, including geo-coding each parental preference received to establish if they represent a parent of a child living in the school planning area the school is set up to serve.

Following completion of this detailed analysis, my Department will prepare detailed assessment reports in relation to each of these new schools based on the applications received. These will then be submitted to the New Schools Establishment Group for their consideration. Following completion of Group's work, they will submit a report with recommendations to me for my consideration and final decision.

The patronage process for the new primary schools, including the new primary school to serve the Dublin South City Centre, will be run following completion of the post-primary patronage process.