Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

335. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the concerns of many parents and a group (details supplied) with respect to the lack of transparency in the decision making process regarding patronage of schools, in which church interests seem to have precedence over parents' wishes, as evidenced by the recent decision to sanction the transfer of a school (details supplied) to be a community national school contrary to the express wishes of parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34673/17]

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

As the Deputy will be aware, following discussions on patronage divesting with education stakeholders and patron bodies in 2016, on the 30th January, 2017, I announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area.

The Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process for supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families is based around principles of transparency and cooperation. Therefore, there will be a very substantial level of consultation of local communities in the process, both with the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase to establish evidence of demand by consulting pre-school parents and subsequently through the requirement for the existing patron to consult with local community and school interests in proposing to transfer patronage of an existing school to an alternative patron body.

In that process, the existing patron will also take into account proposals from all prospective multi-denominational patrons that wish to be considered. In the final instance, an application for a formal transfer of patronage will have to be made by the existing patron under the Education Act 1998, which will require my approval.

The process also allows for potential “early movers” – schools in respect of which a desire for patronage reassignment has been expressed in advance of the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process commencing. In cases such as the school referred to by the Deputy, individual “early movers” are being facilitated with immediate transfers to multi- or non-denominational patrons where the school community and the current patron have already opted voluntarily to do so.

The Patron of the school referred to by the Deputy indicated that the decision to lease the property to Kerry ETB for the purposes of providing a community national school was made in consultation with and fully in line with the wishes of the local community.

A local meeting was held on the 2nd March, 2017, organised by a community group comprising parents/families of children from the local area who previously attended the school and attended by over 70 members of the local community. Following the meeting, the group formally requested the patron to allow the school to be made available as a community national school.

I would point out that the previous model of divestment yielded only a very limited number of schools for transfer to multi-denominational patrons (10 since 2013). I believe that the new schools reconfiguration for diversity process has the potential to significantly increase patron diversity in our school system with a target of reaching 400 multi-denominational and non-denominational schools by 2030.

While these new structures are being introduced, my Department will continue to work with the main stakeholders to progress delivery of diversity in areas already identified, in 2017 and beyond.