Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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989. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a formal process of engagement between her Department and the Patrons of schools. [20538/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department has a number of ongoing engagement processes with the patrons of schools, which deal with specific areas.

These include:

- Primary Education Forum and Post -primary Education Forum: the membership of both forums include patron and management bodies which provide supports to patrons amongst other representative groups. These forums deal with the pace and sequence of change in the system and meet four times per year.

- Reconfiguration for diversity: the department has ongoing engagement with representatives from patron bodies regarding the ongoing school’s reconfiguration for diversity process

- Patronage of new schools: The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. When the department announces that a new school(s) entity is required, a prospective patron can choose the school(s) it wishes to apply for and complete an application form in that regard for each school, for submission to the department. The department provides details on the Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) of the school(s) and the list of applicant patrons which have applied for patronage of the school(s). The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). This group was set up in 2011 to advise the Minister on the patronage of new schools. Following their consideration of the department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on the education section of the gov.ie website.

- Revision of Governance Manual for Primary School: Boards of management of primary school change every four years. The department works with education stakeholders including patrons to review and revise the governance manual in time for new boards of management taking up office.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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990. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the last formal engagement with the patrons of the over 4,000 schools in Ireland took place. [20539/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department has a number of ongoing engagement processes with the patron of schools, which deal with specific areas.

These include:

- Primary Education Forum and Post Primary Education Forum: the membership of both forums include patron and management bodies which provide supports to patrons amongst other representative groups. These forums deal with the pace and sequence of change in the system.

- Reconfiguration for diversity: the department has ongoing engagement with representatives from patron bodies regarding the ongoing school’s reconfiguration for diversity process

- Patronage of new schools: The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. When the department announces that a new school(s) entity is required, a prospective patron can choose the school(s) it wishes to apply for and complete an application form in that regard for each school, for submission to the department. The department provides details on the Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) of the school(s) and the list of applicant patrons which have applied for patronage of the school(s). The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). This group was set up in 2011 to advise the Minister on the patronage of new schools. Following their consideration of the department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on the education section of the gov.ie website.

- Revision of Governance Manual for Primary School: Boards of management of primary school change every four years. The department works with education stakeholders including patrons to review and revise the governance manual in time for new boards of management taking up office.

Prior to this, a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the primary sector was launched in April 2011and an independent advisory group established. It initially sought written submissions from stakeholders and had dialogue with 13 key stakeholders in Working Sessions of the Forum in June and November, 2011;Association of Trustees of Catholic Schools, Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, Council for Education of the Irish Episcopal Conference , Department of Education and Skills, Educate Together, An Foras Pátrúnachta, Gaelscoileanna Teoranta, General Synod Board of Education - Church of Ireland, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Irish Vocational Education Association, Islamic Foundation of Ireland, National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education, National Parents Council.