Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether his Department's policy of not allowing educate together schools to establish using temporary accommodation at an initial stage unless there is an expectation that a State-owned building will be available to move into in the area in the short term is unnecessary and is significantly delaying the roll-out of Educate Together schools across the country to areas of low patron diversity and high parental demand. [34879/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector recommended that demand for patronage diversity should be met in areas of stable population by divesting patronage of existing schools where there is evidence of parental demand for change.

In 2012/13, my Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 44 areas of stable population to establish the level of demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools. Sufficient demand emerged in 28 areas and intensive consultations followed with the main Catholic patrons in each of these areas to discuss divesting options. 

My Department does not provide for a new school to open under patronage divestment where a long-term home has not been identified, as to do so would inevitably lead to pressure to provide new schools in areas of stable population at the expense of existing schools where there is no requirement for additional places.  My Department’s priority in the allocation of scarce capital funding has to be in providing school places in areas of demographic growth.

New schools established in areas of demographic growth, including those under the patronage of Educate Together, may be established in temporary accommodation pending delivery of the permanent accommodation for the school.

In some areas, in responding to demand for diversity where existing patrons were unable make school properties available, my Department also included an examination of properties held in public ownership. 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).

The Deputy will be aware that on 30 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 families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area. 

I believe that the new schools reconfiguration for diversity process which will see the transfer of existing "live" schools, on a voluntary basis, 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.