Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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278. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the ways in which he has considered the demand for Irish-medium education in the context of the new arrangements for the recognition of schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22404/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Once it has been established from the demographic analyses that a new school, primary or post-primary, is required to meet the demographic need in a school planning area, a separate process is conducted to establish who will run the school.

This patronage process incorporates consideration of, and the potential for, Irish-medium provision. It is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons, including patrons involved in Irish-medium provision and indeed any prospective patron which wishes to provide Irish-medium education, to apply for patronage of a new school under the patronage 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.

The assessment process includes an analysis of primary gaelscoil provision in the area and the adjacent school planning areas. Among the issues to be considered, particularly at post-primary level, are likely demand, long-term sustainability, the provision of a sufficient range of subject choice for students, appropriate school facilities and sufficient specialist teachers.