Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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282. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to open a school (details supplied) in County Waterford; the status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14122/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have announced new plans aimed at accelerating the provision of 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 to reach 400 such schools by 2030.

I would point out that the previous model of patronage 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.

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, of which the area referred to by the Deputy is one.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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283. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when an additional school accommodation application submitted in 2016 by a board (details supplied) will be made available to the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14123/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department to provide additional accommodation.

The application is currently under consideration by my Department in the context of the requirement for increased special education provision in the area. On completion of this process my Department will be in further contact with the school authority.