merrion street

The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, today announced the outcome of the patronage process for three new primary schools due to open in Dublin in September 2016.
Patronage of the new schools in Cabra and Drumcondra is being awarded to Educate Together. An Foras Pátrúnachta will be the patron of the new school in Goatstown/Stillorgan.
Announcing the patronage, Minister Bruton said: “At the heart of what we are trying to do as a Government is to use our economic success to make people’s lives a little bit easier. An important part of this is to make it easier for parents where possible to choose schools for their children that reflect their needs and priorities.
“I am delighted to announce the patronage of these three new schools being built to cater for growing populations. These decisions reflect a particular process which we have put in place to provide for demonstrated parental demand and for plurality of patronage. It is very welcome that these schools will reflect the stated choice of parents in the area, and will increase diversity of primary education provision in the relevant areas.
The Minister thanked the independent New Schools Establishment Group for their valuable input, saying: “The system used to establish new schools and appoint school patrons was introduced to ensure an objective and transparent process and the role of the New Schools Establishment Group is critical to achieving these aims.”
All applications were assessed on the basis of published criteria, including the extent of diversity in existing schools and the scale of diversity to be provided by the new school or schools. This was considered in conjunction with the level of parental demand for each of the patron applicants.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
Details of new primary schools to be established in September 2016
Cabra/Phibsborough, Dublin 7 (located on the Bannow Road, Cabra)
Drumcondra/Marino, Dublin 9 (to be located at All Hallows College)
Goatstown/Stillorgan, Co. Dublin (work underway to finalise location within the school planning area)
All of the schools in question are being established to meet a demographic need.
The opening of seven new primary schools in 2015 and 2016 was announced in 2015. Four opened in September 2015 in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork; Pelletstown, Co. Dublin; Greystones, Co. Wicklow; and the Knocknacarra area of Galway City West, with the remaining three schools in Cabra/Phibsborough, Drumcondra/Marino and Goatstown/Stillorgan due to open in September 2016.
Details on the arrangements which apply to the patronage of these new schools are available on the Department’s website.
http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School/New-Primary-Schools/Arrangements-for-patronage-in-the-establishment-of-new-primary-schools-due-to-open-in-September-2016.pdf
New Schools Establishment Group
The patronage determination process for new schools is overseen by the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG).
This independent advisory group was set up in 2011 to advise the Minister on the patronage of new schools following its consideration of a report prepared by the Department on the applications received.
The group is chaired by Dr. Seamus McGuinness (retired senior lecturer in the Education Department at Trinity College Dublin) and also includes Ms. Sylda Langford (retired Director of the Office of the Minister for Children) and Prof. Seán Ó Riain (Sociology Department, NUI Maynooth).
The report of the New Schools Establishment Group is available online.
Related Links:
New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG) report to the Minister

Report for the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG)

Patronage Assessment Report to the NSEG - Goatstown/Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
Patronage Assessment Report to the NSEG - Drumcondra/Marino, Dublin 1

Patronage Assessment Report to the NSEG - Cabra/Phibsborough, Dublin 7