Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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287. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the proportion of religious to non-denominational schools in Kildare; the number of schools successfully reconfigured in Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62639/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local Bishop as school patron. It is recognised, including by the Catholic school patrons, that an educational landscape is needed which more accurately reflects the reality of our increasingly diverse society and meets the expectations parents have for their children.

The Programme for Government 2025, commits to seeking to increase choice for parents by ensuring that families can access both multi/non-denominational and faith-based education.

Under the Education Act 1998, the legal responsibility for transferring patronage rests with the current school patron in the first instance. A school patron may write to the Minister in relation to transfer of patronage under Section 8 of the Education Act 1998 and request that the patron register is amended accordingly.

In Kildare there are a total of 101 mainstream primary schools, 83 Catholic patronage, 6 Church of Ireland patronage and 12 under Inter/Multi- denominational patronage.

At post primary level, there are 29 schools in Kildare. 12 under Catholic patronage and 17 under Inter/Multi- denominational patronage.

In 2018, Brannoxtown National school became a Community National School under the patronage of Kildare and Wicklow ETB following a successfully transfer of patronage from the Archbishop of Dublin.

The voice of the parent and school community is important in the context of a decision to change to a multi-denominational ethos.

I recently announced the launch of an online, school-specific survey of parents and guardians, and primary school communities in-line with the department’s Education Plan 2025.

The survey asks primary school parents and guardians and parents and guardians of children not yet in school to indicate their preferences on important aspects of school provision and choice, such as the future patronage and ethos of their school.

I encourage all parents and guardian with children in primary school and all parents and guardians of children not yet in primary school to complete a survey and “Have Your Say” about the primary school that your children attend now or will attend in the future. I also encourage all primary school staff and all primary school board of management members to complete a survey in respect of your primary school. Go to www.gov.ie/primaryschoolsurvey for information on the survey and a link to the survey itself. It is a short, straightforward, online survey that can be completed in a matter of minutes.

The survey, which will run until the 16th of December, is not a final step. Where there is clear support from parents and guardians for change to be considered, a further process of inclusive dialogue will begin.