EDUCATION AND SCIENCE COMMITTEE:, THE CAMPAIGN by the multi- denominational school group Educate Together to expand into second level received a boost yesterday when its submission was warmly received by members of the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science.

There are now 10,000 pupils attending 56 Educate Together primary schools. It hopes to open a further 45 primary schools within the next three years.

The group applied for recognition as a second-level patron 15 months ago but it has still to receive a response from the Department of Education.

The group has submitted plans for new second-level schools in Waterford, Gorey, Co Wexford, and Lucan, Co Dublin.

Paul Rowe, chief executive of Educate Together, told the committee the group is patron of five schools in the Lucan area of Dublin. Research studies show, he said, that some 90 per cent of parents in Educate Together schools wanted to enrol their children in similar schools at second level, but this option was unavailable.

In Lucan, he said, a new post-primary school was designated as a community college controlled by the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) – despite the huge numbers attending Educate Together schools in the area.

“No consultation had taken place with the local community or with potential patrons in the area, reflecting a lack of transparency in current practices as regards establishing new second-level schools.’’

The expansion of Educate Together into second level may make it more difficult for VEC schools to attract students.

But yesterday, Michael Moriarty, representing vocational schools managers, said he had no difficulty with the group’s planned expansion. He suggested a marriage or partnership between the VEC and Educate Together, expressing confidence that the VEC model could accommodate diversity.

There has been speculation that the 33 VECs could be rationalised as part of Government cutbacks. But Mr Moriarty, general secretary of the Irish Vocational Education Association, said the VECs are well placed to meet the needs of a multicultural Ireland.

VEC post-primary schools are mostly coeducational, comprehensive and inclusive in both their enrolment and their curriculum, democratically managed, and publicly owned, he said.

In the past two years, the VEC has acted as patron to the new community primary schools. The first of these – Scoil Choilm Community National School, Porterstown, Dublin – will be officially opened tomorrow.