Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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768. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the work of her Department’s schools reconfiguration for diversity initiative; the staff assigned to the initiative at Department grade level; the number of schools currently being assisted to transfer from denominational patrons to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local school communities; the locations of these schools, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18706/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits to seeking to increase choice for parents by ensuring that families can access both multi/non-denominational and faith based education.

For historical reasons, most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local Bishop as patron. It is recognised, including by the Catholic patrons, that more diverse provision is required to cater for our changing society.

There are many Sections in my Department which contribute to the work on increasing choice for parents in this area. The Reconfiguration Unit within my Department’s Reconfiguration and School Property Management Section leads on the schools reconfiguration for diversity process.

The schools reconfiguration process, supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local communities, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational schools. When a school transfers from the patronage of one patron to another, the school remains open with the same roll number and operating from the same school property. All state-funded primary schools follow a common national curriculum and are subject to the same Department rules and regulations.

There are 172 primary schools with a multi-denominational or inter-denominational ethos.

This includes 32 multi-denominational primary schools operating where previously there was denominational provision only and which are catering for diversity by providing multi-denominational options for parents where previously there were none. (This figure relates to 2013 onwards and includes schools which transferred patronage and/or changed ethos to multi-denominational and schools established under the patronage divesting process.)

Given the importance of increasing choice for parents, I intend to publish a plan shortly to increase the number of multi-denominational schools.