Reform over new schools recognition

The Tánaiste today announced what she said was a significant reform in recognising new second-level schools.

A new framework will set out clear criteria against which new second-level school applications are to be assessed, with the aim of increasing the transparency of decision making.

A small expert group to advise on second-level school patronage applications will also be established.

The Second-Level Patronage Advisory Group will consider applications for new schools and advise the Minister for Education on them, having surveyed parental views and using criteria to be set down.

Ms Coughlan plans create the group in the autumn and seek its input before finalising detailed criteria and procedures.

In a statement, the Minister for Education said it was forecast there would be an increase of more than 67,000 post-primary pupils in the State by 2024. "In practice it is likely that this will result in the expansion of a large number of existing post-primary schools and the establishment of many new schools," she said.

"Predictions show the population increasing most quickly in the eastern area where there is less likely to be spare classroom capacity. The need for clear criteria and increased transparency in decision making on the patronage in these cases arises as there are now a number of patron bodies seeking to establish new schools," Ms Coughlan said.

The Minister said any prospective patron should have clear criteria to consider in making an application, adding the new framework will provide greater clarity, allow applications to be made where there is demographic need, and lay out minimum sizes for such new schools.

Ms Coughlan also announced the new second-level school in Clonburris, Lucan, will be established as a VEC school formally in partnership with Educate Together. Elsewhere, the department is overseeing a process on setting up a second-level school in Gorey, Co Wexford. A decision on that school needs to be reached by the end of October 2010.

The views of parents of children in primary schools in the Gorey area will be canvassed in September, and input of parents of children not yet in school will also be considered.

Elsewhere, Fine Gael education spokesman Fergus O'Dowd today accused the Government of attempting to hide cuts to promised school budgets.

Mr O'Dowd said Fianna Fáil and the Greens had slashed school budgets by €2 billion in the capital expenditure programme announced this week. He said the programme had actually reduced schools' budgets by 40 per cent compared to the National Development Plan

"Once again, Fianna Fáil and the Greens are targeting the most vulnerable and it is children who will feel the pain of this massive cutback," the Fine Gael frontbencher said.