Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to increase the availability of multi- or non-denominational school places in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39145/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits to achieving a target of at least 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030 to improve parental choice.

The Department anticipates that further multi-denominational provision will arise with the opening of new schools to cater for areas of demographic growth by 2030. New schools are established in areas of strong demographic growth. While there is no new school currently planned for the areas mentioned by the Deputy, this matter is kept under ongoing review.

The Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families is based around principles of transparency and cooperation. The process has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-/non-denominational schools across the country. This Reconfiguration process involves the transfer of existing live schools as opposed to the amalgamation and/or closure model of the patronage divesting process.

The initial identification phase of the process involved each of the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) identifying an initial pilot area within their functional area where they considered there may be unmet oncoming demand for a multi-/non-denominational school and arranging for surveys of parents of pre-school children in these areas.

My Department officials have been engaging with representatives of the Irish Episcopal Conference with a view to developing an agreed approach to the next Phase of the process. The identification phase work provides useful learning and is informing the development of the process.

The “Early Movers” provision of the Schools Reconfiguration Process enables school communities which have already decided to seek a transfer of patronage (independent of the survey process envisaged as part of the Reconfiguration process) to engage with their school patron on the matter. A patron may transfer patronage under section 8 of the Education Act 1998. A number of patronage changes have taken place in recent years in this context, resulting in the provision of an additional 11 Community National Schools.

In parallel with the Reconfiguration process, my Department is continuing to work with stakeholders to progress delivery of diversity in areas already identified as part of the 2012 and 2013 patronage divesting process surveys. Twelve schools have been established under this process, all of which have a multi-denominational ethos.

Where there is pressure for school places in an area, additional multi-denominational places may also be provided in response to such demand by increasing enrolments in existing multi-denominational schools.