Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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467. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that the period offered for expressions of interest with regard to patronage for a school (details supplied) is sufficient given the Covid-19 implications for communications and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35237/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of expressions of interest received by her Department with regard to the recently advertised patronage for a school (details supplied). [35240/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 468 together.

As the Deputy may be aware, the patronage process for the post-primary schools due to open in 2021, including that for the Ballincollig school planning area, had been postponed earlier in the year, given the Covid-19 related restrictions in place at the time.

Despite the continuing situation with regard to Covid-19, my Department considered that it was important that the 2021 post-primary patronage process commence and be progressed in 2020 in order that the successful incoming school patrons would have sufficient time to make the necessary preparations for the schools’ opening in 2021 and in order to provide certainty and clarity for incoming patrons, parents and children alike in respect of the patronage and language of these schools. Accordingly, in October 2020, the Department commenced the Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) process for the four post-primary schools to be established in September 2021. Having confirmed the applicant patrons for each of the schools, on 23 October, the OPPS survey was opened for parents in the relevant school planning areas. A press release issued in this regard on 24 October. The OPPS will remain open for parents to express their preference for school patron until 9am on Monday 16 November.

While it would not be appropriate to provide figures relating to the number of patronage or language preferences expressed in respect of an OPPS process that is currently ongoing, I can say that while Covid-19 restrictions have undoubtedly affected the nature of communications between prospective patrons and school communities, based on the engagement to date in the process, it is expected that parental engagement figures will be generally within the levels experienced in previous OPPS surveys. Final figures will be provided in reports published at the end of the process.

I encourage parents of eligible children to express their preference on the website: