Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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285. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of each of the 42 new schools announced in April 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31265/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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In April 2018, the Government announced plans to establish 42 new schools over the 4 year period 2019 to 2022. Twenty-six of these are at primary level and 16 at post-primary level. In addition, following a review of provision at primary school level in Ashbourne, a new 16 classroom primary school was announced to be established from September 2019.

For each new school announced, arrangements have or are being put in place for the provision of accommodation and a patronage process has or will be undertaken in relation to the patronage of these schools.

An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to all parents which will allow them to make an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education. Parental preferences were previously collected based on direct engagement with patron bodies.

The patronage process in respect of the four post-primary schools and 14 primary schools to be established in 2019 has concluded. The patronage process for schools to be established in 2020 will commence later in 2019. There will be further patronage processes for the remainder of the new schools announced. Updates in relation to further patronage processes will be announced on the OPPS website () and my Department’s website (www.education.ie).

The schools are being established in interim accommodation initially pending permanent accommodation solutions being put in place. My Department’s Design and Build Programme will be the main delivery mechanism for providing permanent accommodation for the 43 new schools.

The current status of large-scale projects, including the 43 new schools, being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed in tabular format on my Department's website, www.education.ie and this information is updated regularly.