Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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462. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the provision of funding for an Educate Together school in Palmerstown, Dublin 20. [36509/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The patronage divesting process arises from the recommendations of the 2012 report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, following which the Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population in 2012 and 2013 to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within these areas.  Analysis of the parental preferences expressed in each area surveyed indicated that there was sufficient parental demand to support changes in school patronage in 28 areas, including in Palmerstown/Ballyfermot/Chapelizod/Cherry Orchard.

Under the patronage divesting process, a school can be opened where a school building became or was due to become available as a result of an amalgamation/closure of an existing school. 

To date, it has not been possible to secure a school property to facilitate a new school being established in Palmerstown/Ballyfermot/Chapelizod/Cherry Orchard. However, the Department is continuing its efforts in relation to identifying a suitable solution under the patronage divesting process, which would facilitate a new Educate Together school being established to serve the area.  It is not possible at this stage, however, to give a timeframe for the establishment of such a school.

In addition, the requirement for new schools to meet emerging demographic demand is kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard to the impact of the increased roll out of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.