Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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210. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which progress continues to be made in regard to the patronage of primary and second-level schools nationally in general and in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2969/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits to increasing the number of multi-/non-denominational schools to 400 such schools by 2030. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has developed the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process which is a new process to deliver on this commitment through patronage transfer, in line with the choices of local parents and school communities. 

There are two Phases to the new process – the Identification Phase and the Implementation Phase.

The Identification Phase is currently underway in 16 areas nationwide.  Each of the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) have selected an initial pilot area within their functional area where they consider, based on census data and local knowledge, there is likely to be an oncoming demand for greater diversity of patronage in educational provision.  Surveys of parents of pre-school children have been carried out in these areas by the relevant City/County Childcare Committee on behalf of the ETBs.  ETBs, having analysed the survey results, draw up comprehensive reports on the position in relation to each of the 16 pilot areas. This forms the basis of discussions with the most prevalent patron/landowner in the area (the Catholic Bishop in most cases) concerning the transfer of patronage of an existing school, or schools, to meet that oncoming demand.  The response by the landowner/patron to any identified demand for greater diversity is included in the report prepared by the ETB, for submission to my Department, which intends to publish the final reports.

Following the finalisation of the first round of reports, it is intended that the process would move into the Implementation Phase.  This Phase involves consultation with local school communities on accommodating demand for diversity of patronage by transferring patronage of an existing school to a new multi-/non-denominational patron.  Draft protocols for the Implementation Phase are at an advanced stage of development.

In relation to Kildare specifically, a town/area in County Kildare has not been identified for survey as Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board has chosen to survey Bray in Co. Wicklow as part of this initial roll-out. A second round of town selections and surveys of pre-school parents will be organised by ETBs when the outcomes of the initial round of pilot surveys have been assessed and any necessary adjustments made in the Schools Reconfiguration process.

The Schools Reconfiguration process, which involves the transfer of live schools, has the potential to significantly increase patronage diversity in our school system.

In addition to the process outlined above, the “early movers” provision of this process enables school communities which have already decided to seek a transfer of patronage (independent of the survey process) to request their existing patron to apply to the Minister for a direct transfer of patronage under section 8 of the Education Act.