Scoláireachtaí Lóistín i gColáiste Naomh Eoin, Inis Meáin don scoilbhliain 2013-14
Aibreán 3, 2013
Déanann an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Comhionannais agus Gaeltachta maoiniú ar dheich gcinn de scoláireachtaí lóistín gach bliain chun deis a tabhairt do ghasúir ón mórthír a bhfuil cónaí orthu i limistéir taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht freastal ar Choláiste Naomh Eoin, Inis Meáin ar feadh na bliana acadúla. Tarlaíonn an maoiniú seo faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge.
Bronntar an scoláireacht ar bhun bliantiúil. Má bhíonn an scoil sásta go bhfuil an dalta ag déanamh dul chun cinn suantasach sa Ghaeilge agus go bhfuil sé/sí báúil do shaol agus do chultúr an oileáin d’fhéadfadh dalta scoláireacht a fháil dá t(h)réimse oideachais dara leibhéal ina iomláine, agus tabhairt faoi scrúduithe na hÁrdteistiméireachta ar an oileán.
Cláraíonn na scoláirí sa meánscoil áitiúil Coláiste Naomh Eoin áit a múintear réimse leathan ábhair tré mheán na Gaeilge. Chomh maith leis an sealbhú teanga, tá buntáistí oideachais den scoth ar fáil. Is scoil bheag í Coláiste Naomh Eoin, le líon íseal daltaí, tréithe a chinntíonn go bhfaigheann gach dalta deis foghlamtha go barr a gcumais mar go mbíonn áird a múinteoirí ar a dtoil acu. Tá an foireann teagaisc óg, bríomhar agus sár-oilte ina gceird. Tá cairdeas agus meas idir an fhoireann agus na daltaí rud a chinntíonn atmaisféar mealltach don fhoghlaim. Déanann na múinteoirí maoirseoireacht ar thréimhse staidéir tar éis scoile chun go mbeidh deis ag na gasúir a gcuid obair bhaile agus staidéar breise a dhéanamh ar a gcompórd. Bíonn na scoláirí faoi chúram na scoile le linn gnáthuaireanta scoile agus le linn imeachtaí eagraithe ag an scoil taobh amuigh den gnáth chleachtas.
Is faoi chúram na mná tí a thógann ról “Loco Parentis” orthu féin, a bhíonn siad an chuid eile den am a mbíonn siad ar an oileán. Bíonn criathrú óna gardaí faighte do gach ball teaghlaigh ós cionn ocht mbliana déag d’aois chun slándail agus sábháilteacht an dalta a chinntiú.
Is iad tuismitheoirí na scoláirí amháin a bhíonn freagrach astu le linn taistil chuig agus ón oileán.
Is áit álainn shuaimhneach í Inis Méain, áit a bhfuil faoiseamh agus ionspráid le fáil taobh le taobh, é caomhnaithe ag am agus ag traidisiún, áit a dtarlaíonn spreagadh na foghlamtha go nadúrtha mar gheall ar a sceirdiúlacht agus a saoirse ó chathú an t-saoil. Tá pacáistí lóistín ar chostas réasúnta de €5,500 in aghaidh na bliana ar fáil do dhaltaí a bheadh oiriúnach don scoil. Clúdaíonn an costas seo lóistín agus cothaíocht a fhad agus atá siad ar an oileán. Íoctar leath den chostas roimh thús na scoil bhliana agus an chuid eile i mí Eanáir. Tá uas-theorainn socraithe ag an scoil ar na pacáistí seo chomh maith chun a chinntiú nach gcailltear na buntáistí aitheanta, sin uimhreacha beaga agus áird phearsanta na dteagascóirí a théann le hoideachas i gColáiste Naomh Eoin ar Inis Meáin.
Maireann na scoláirí le teaghlach áitiúil ar Inis Meáin ar feadh na bliana, is í an Ghaeilge an teanga teaghlaigh sna tithe seo agus faigheann na scoláirí léargas ar an nGaeilge mar theanga bheo agus mar ghnáth theanga pobail. Fanann siad leis an gclann ar feadh na bliana, ag dul abhaile gach dara deireadh seachtaine agus le linn laethanta saoire.
Is féidir breis eolas a fháil ó www.colaistenaomheoin.ie nó glaoch ar Mhairéad Ní Fhátharta ag 0877775567 chun suim a léiriú.
Suirbhé ar phátrúnacht foilsithe – Gaelscoil nua do Bhiorra, Contae Uíbh Fhailí
Aibreán 3, 2013
Tá an-áthas ar An Foras Pátrúnachta gur aithin suirbhé na Roinne ar thuismitheoirí an t-éileamh ollmhór atá ar oideachas lán-Ghaeilge i mBiorra, Contae Uíbh Fhailí. Moladh i dtuarascáil na Roinne gur cheart 23 scoil ilchreidmheach a bhunú, Gaelscoil i mBiorra ina measc. D’aithin an suirbhé go bhfuil éileamh mór ar oideachas lán-Ghaeilge i gceantair éagsúla; Mullach Íde, Na Sceirí agus Port Mearnóg i mBaile Átha Cliath san áireamh.
Dúirt Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, Ard Rúnaí ar An Foras Pátrúnachta, go raibh tuismitheoirí i mBiorra ag obair le fada chun scoil lán-Ghaeilge a fháil agus go raibh ríméad air gur éirigh leo. Tá An Foras Pátrúnachta ag súil go mór bheith ag obair leis an Eaglais Chaitliceach sa phróiseas seo.Is léir ó na torthaí eile sa tsuirbhé go bhfuil éileamh láidir d’oideachas lán-Ghaeilge timpeall na tíre. Is léir freisin go bhfuil éileamh ann don mhúnla atá á sholáthar ag An Foras Pátrúnachta.De réir tuarascáil na Roinne, bhí éileamh idir 4%agus 31% ar oideachas lán-Ghaeilge sna ceantair éagsúla.
Luíonn sé seo leis an méid atá a chur in iúl ag An Foras Pátrúnachta ó thús an phróisis. Tá cearta ag na tuismitheoirí agus daltaí seo agus tá dualgas oideachas lán-Ghaeilge a sholáthar dóibh.Tá iarracht déanta ag an Roinn Oideachais cothrom na féinne a chinntiú sa tsuirbhé ach braitear nach é seo an múnla chun freastal ar thuismitheoirí nach bhfuil mar chuid den tromlach. Cad mar gheall ar na tuismitheoirí a roghnaigh oideachas lán-Ghaeilge sna ceantair éagsúla?
Chuir An Foras Pátrúnachta na buarthaí seo in iúl don Roinn Oideachais sula ndearnadh an suirbhéar chúig cheantar píolótach agus arís nuair a foilsíodh na torthaí ó na ceantair sin. Mar an t-aon phátrún lán-Ghaeilge, beidh An Foras Pátrúnachta ag cur in iúl don Roinn ár n-imní go bhfuil faillí á dhéanamh ar phaistí, ar thuismitheoirí agus ar cheantair mura bhfuil an próiseas chun cinntiú go bhfuil aitheantas á thabhairt dóibh agus a mianta.Is gá féachaint ar cheist na Gaeilge agus ar na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge go comhtháite. Tá sé soiléir nuair a fhaigheann daltaí agus tuismitheoirí oideachas lán-Ghaeilge go n-aithníonn siad na buntáistí agus go bhfuil siad rí-shásta leis an múnla. Tá sé soiléir freisin nuair a éiríonn leis An Foras Pátrúnachta tuismitheoirí a chur ar an eolas faoin múnla seo go roghnaíonn siad é dá bpáistí.
Dúirt Caoimhín Ó hEaghra go bhfuil An Foras Pátrúnachta, an t-aon phátrún a bunaíodh chun oideachas lán-Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn, ag obair go tréan chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do na scoileanna atá acu agus chun scoileanna nua a bhunú. Tá ról fíorthábhachtach á chomhlíonadh ag An Foras Pátrúnachta le tacaíocht ónár scoileanna, ónár dtuismitheoirí agus ó phobal na Gaeilge i gcoitinne. Táimid buíoch as seo agus ag súil leis an méid atá bainte amach go dtí seo a fhorbairt.
Catholic patrons welcome schools report
Aibreán 2, 2013
There is a “measurable small demand” for change in school patronage in certain areas and parents should have a choice, chairman of the Council for Education of the Irish Bishops’ Conference has said.
Catholic patrons have welcomed the primary school patronage report which showed demand for change from parents in 23 areas. However, attention must be given to the “large majority” of parents who expressed no interest in change, the council chairman Fr Michael Drumm said. He was speaking as a survey on parental preferences for primary school patronage was published today by the Department of Education.
Catholic bishops in 23 areas across the State have six months to provide detailed proposals on how they plan on divesting primary schools of their patronage. Of 23 areas, between 2.2 per cent and 8 per cent of parents with children in school favoured change, the council said. The areas “vary quite a bit”, Fr Drumm said. The report raised the issue of “displacement” of trying to cater for the views of a minority who want change, Fr Drumm said. The problem on the ground was that numbers displaced could be greater than numbers catered for, he said. In Celbridge, Co Kildare, some 100 parents desired a different type of school but the smallest Catholic school was 300 children, he said. It was about getting the “balance right” , he added. Demand for choice was “lower than anticipated” Fr Drumm said. The survey showed a “very strong affirmation” of Catholic schools with no real interest in change from 15 of 38 areas, he said.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said this morning he expected Catholic bishops to cooperate in identifying suitable primary schools for the transfer of patronage. The Department of Education will send surveys to the patrons seeking an initial response after three months and a final response in six months, he said. “I would hope and expect during that period a suitable school will be identified by them within the various towns and arrangements will be made for the orderly transfer of the patronage of that school back to the Department of Education,” Mr Quinn said on RTÉ Radio. Mr Quinn said he expected cooperation from the Catholic Church because patronage had been identified as an issue by Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin. It was about “parental choice” not a “general election”, Mr Quinn said.
Out of 38 survey areas selected according to specific demographic criteria, 23 have demonstrated demand for “an immediate change in the existing school patronage”, according to a Department of Education statement. The majority of parents who took part in the survey named Educate Together as their preferred patron. Educate Together was “delighted” and “honoured” that many communities had selected them as a preferred patron,chief executive Paul Rowe said in a statement. The results were “significant” and showed “demand for diversity”, he said. He praised the “goodwill” shown by the Catholic bishops to the process.
Co Cork VEC was “delighted” to be the preferred patron chosen by parents in Carrigaline, chief executive Joan Russell said. If Co Cork VEC becomes patron of a Carrigaline school it would be its second primary patronage. It is due to open its first primary school in Mallow next year. “I am aware this is only the first step… and am respectful of existing patrons,” Ms Russell said. The community national school model was “not well known” in Cork so the growth would allow parents to become familiar with it, she said.
Among the 23 schools identified in the report were Dublin 6, Malahide, Palmerstown, Portmarnock, Rush, Tuam, Westport, Ballina, Clonmel, Passage West, Dungarvan, Fermoy, Kells, Killarney, Leixlip, Loughrea, Cobh, Nenagh, New Ross, Shannon, Celbridge and Carrigaline.
One area, Birr in Co Offaly, showed sufficient demand for a Gaelscoil. Several others specified VEC patronage as their preferred option.
There was insufficient demand in areas such as Wicklow, Skerries, Carrick-on-Suir and Roscommon, among others.
The level of demand required to support change was set at the minimum enrolment required for a four-teacher school, somewhere between 80 and 100 pupils. A total of 10,715 valid survey responses were received.
www.irishtimes.com
Poll: 60% of towns want new patrons
Aibreán 2, 2013
Parents in just 60% of towns dominated by Catholic primary schools have voted to have control handed over to different patrons.
Educate Together has emerged as the preferred patron to take over one of the local schools in 20 of the 23 areas where there was enough demand for choice.
But the most surprising outcome of the surveys — completed in January by parents of almost 20,000 primary school pupils and pre-school children — was that the vast majority in 15 out of 38 areas were satisfied with the current provision.
The research was carried out by the Department of Education in areas where there is little or no alternative to Catholic schools, but where populations are not growing enough for new schools to be built.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said up to half of all Catholic primary schools may need to be divested, but the level of demand shows this is not the case. He wants bishops in each of the 23 areas where change is recommended to provide details within six months on how they plan to make schools available to patrons.
For recommended new patrons by town, see http://exa.mn/hn
www.irishexaminer.com
Union chief wants report on future of schools published
Aibreán 2, 2013
Teachers fear over 1,000 schools with fewer than 80 pupils may be under threat
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn was challenged by Irish National Teachers’ Organisation president Anne Fay to publish a report commissioned on primary schools amid growing fears t ha t more t ha n 1 , 000 schools with under 80 pupils or three teachers or fewer may face closure.
Ms Fay told the union’s 145th annual congress that Mr Quinn, who addresses del egates today, should move to publish the Value for Money report commissioned 2½ years ago by the Department of Education on the future of primary schools.
Ms Fa y , who teaches in a three-teacher school in Fermoy, Co Cork, criticised the leaking of some of the report at the weekend. It was reported on Sunday that the viability of more than 600 small schools would be thrown into doubt by the report.
“We got selective leaks of this report to a Sunday newspaper by the Minister, I presume, which I believe shows a lack of respect for parents, teachers and communities all over Ireland. Over a thousand schools now fear for their very existence,” she said. Loud applause Loudly applauded by the 800 delegates in Cork, Ms Fay went on to remind Mr Quinn of the commitment he gave on behalf of the Labour Party when in opposition and just before t he 2011 general election to oppose any forced amalgamation of schools.
“The now Minister for Education and Science wrote on February 15th, 2011, just before the general election: ‘The Labour Party has never supported the forcible amalgamation of rural schools’, another debased pre-election promise to add to what is becoming a very long list.”
Ms Fay said teachers still manage to take great pride in their work despite being anxious and worried about the future and cuts in education and, even when greatly overworked, have the interests of their pupils foremost in their mind. ‘Palpable anger’ “But alongside that pride, I have detected a palpable anger – there is anger at the attitudes of some of our employers, commentators and politicians who seem to think, bizarrely and erroneously, that teaching is an easy life,” she said.
“There is anger at changes to terms and conditions that focus on saving money and not on making the education system better, and anger at investment in education becoming another discredited election promise, not a priority to return Ireland to economic growth and social equality.”
Ms Fay opted not to speak on Croke Park II proposals on pay which are currently being voted on by union members. However, union sources confirmed to The Irish Times that there was a lot of anger voiced at the Croke Park II proposals at a private session.
www.irishtimes.com
Gaeltacht ar an dé deiridh?
Aibreán 2, 2013
‘Níl a leithéid de rud againn níos mó agus Gaeltacht,’a deir Seosamh Mac Donnacha san eagrán reatha de Comhar.
Maíonn sé gur cainteoirí dúchais dátheangacha iad formhór mhuintir na Gaeltachta, agus nach sealbhaíonn siad an dá theanga ag an luas céanna ná go dtí an leibhéal cumais céanna.
Caithfimid ceist bhunúsach a chur orainn: cad is Gaeltacht ann? Go dtí seo, tá Rialtas Bhaile Átha Cliath sásta líne a tharraingt agus ‘tearmann Indiach’ a chruthú, gan bonneagar ceart.
Deir Mac Donnacha nach mbeadh páiste a tógadh leis an Ghaeilge sa Ghaeltacht ábalta seirbhísí bunúsacha a fháil tríd an Ghaeilge, nach mbeadh sé ábalta oideachas a fháil go hiomlán tríd an Ghaeilge, nach mbeadh sé in ann post a fháil mura bhfuil Béarla aige, agus nach mbeadh sé ábalta labhairt leis na gardaí i nGaoth Dobhair i nGaeilge.
Sin an fhadhb is mó atá againn maidir leis an Ghaeilge sa Ghaeltacht agus sa Ghalltacht: níl an Ghaeilge sa timpeallacht. Nuair a théann tú isteach i siopa nuachtán mór anseo, feiceann tú na céadta iris i mBéarla (ráiméis an chuid is mó acu, ach sin scéal eile). Ní féidir leat iris Ghaeilge a fháil i siopa nuachtán ar bith i nDoire. Dála an scéil, thig leat Paris Match a cheannach i lár na cathrach gach seachtain.
Má théann tú thar sáile, is féidir leat teanga na tíre a phiocadh suas go gasta. Labhraítear í i ngach áit: ar an tsráid, sa teach, sna siopaí, sna hoifigí srl. Cluineann tú an teanga an t-am ar fad ar an raidió agus ar an teilifís. Feiceann tú nuachtáin agus fógraí sa teanga. Bíonn tú i dteagmháil leis an teanga i gcónaí – fírinne fhollasach. Ach ní tharlaíonn sin in Éirinn. Agus ní féidir teanga a fhorbairt mura mbaintear úsáid aisti go leanúnach i saol an phobail.
Níl ach tír amháin ar dhroim an domhain ina bhfuil tú in ann post a fháil san earnáil phoiblí mura bhfuil an teanga náisiúnta agat- sin teach na ngealt darb ainm Éire, ar ndóigh, tír ina bhfuil polaiteoirí gan mhaith agus maorlathaithe gan anam.
Bhuel, tá Lá ’le Pádraig thart. Cuirfear an Ghaeilge ar ais sa tarraiceán go ceann bliana eile. Ach má théimid ar aghaidh mar atá muid, rachaimid chuig an chófra lá éigin, agus ní bheidh rud ar bith ann.
www.derryjournal.com
Quinn will announce Church to lose school control
Aibreán 2, 2013
‘Clear demand’ for greater diversity cannot be ignored, insists minister
THE Catholic Church is being told to hand over another 23 primary schools in an historic shake-up of the eduction system designed to offer parents more choice.
Department of Education surveys in 43 towns and suburbs over the past six months found that two-thirds of parents wanted a more diverse range of schools – meaning a reduction of the church’s overwhelming dominance of school patronage.
The results of the consultation with 10,000 parents on future control of local schools can be revealed today, with Education Minister Ruairi Quinn pointing out that a majority of areas surveyed had shown sufficient parental demand for wider choice of schools. He insisted: “We cannot ignore this call for change.”
Meanwhile, the fate of 1,000 small rural schools hangs in the balance as they are considered too small to satisfy an “optimum” threshold for value for money. A new report, to be published soon, will recommend that the optimum future size for Irish schools is four teachers and 80 students or more.
Mr Quinn, who will today address two teachers’ unions, has been accused of leaving thousands of pupils and parents in limbo if their school does not meet the minimum size.
Mr Quinn is now overseeing a period of massive change within the schools system as the issues of patronage and small rural schools both come to a head. His department now wants detailed proposals from the bishops on divesting schools within six months, in a significant shift towards multidenominational education. But early transfers do not appear on the cards after a senior Catholic Church educationalist questioned the calculations involved.
Surveys in 38 areas were undertaken in January-February among parents of children under the age of 12. They were targeted at towns and suburbs where there is a relatively stable population and, therefore, little prospect of an additional school being built.
The demand for a change of patronage at 23 of these 38 primary schools is on top of five schools around the country which were previously identified by the department, and where the Church has already been told to transfer control. The department will now be contacting the Catholic patron in each of the newly identified areas to request that they consider the options.
Mr Quinn said he was confident of a generous response from the existing patron – the local Catholic bishop in each of the areas – to “the clear demand for change”. In practical terms, it means that in any of these areas, where there may be several local Catholic schools, mergers will be necessary to free up a building for a school under different patronage.
Where change is favoured, the multi-denominational Educate Together is the top choice and has been nominated as the patron for 25 schools, including in the five areas previously identified.
Two towns will see the establishment of English language, new-style Community National Schools, run by the local Vocational Education Committee. And in one area, an Irish language school under the patronage of An Foras Patrunachta is recommended. Most of the areas surveyed already had a Gaelscoil option for parents deemed capable of accommodating demand for Irish language medium schools.
Paul Rowe, of Educate Together, said the results clearly showed demand for diversity of school type exists across the country.
Conclusions
However, while 10,000 responses were gathered, Fr Michael Drumm of the Catholic Schools Partnership said the participation rates of parents in the surveys were low. He said that within each area the responses only varied from 13pc to 26pc and advised against drawing conclusions.
He said there was a need for much closer analysis of the figures and consultation with communities on the ground For example, Fr Drumm said in Ballina, where the department is recommending an Educate Together school, parents of only 2.2pc of existing primary pupils expressed a preference for an English-language multi-denominational school. And he warned the proposals could involve much greater displacement for pupils in an existing school than those the department is seeking to accommodate.
The Catholic Church controls about 2,840, or 90pc, of almost 3,200 primary schools in Ireland. While the 28 schools earmarked for change represent less than 1pc of this, developments over the coming months will be closely watched as they could mark a watershed in Church-state relations over school patronage.
The department set the minimum enrolment sufficient for a four-teacher school as the benchmark for deciding on whether there was sufficient demand for change. A total of 10,715 valid responses were received during the surveys, and were checked against data held by the Department of Social Protection to ensure that the children listed were linked to PPS numbers given.
It followed the five pilot surveys, which were conducted last October and November – all of which showed a demand for Educate Together schools.
www.independent.ie
Bishops have six months to set out plans for school patronage change
Aibreán 2, 2013
Catholic bishops in 23 areas across the State have six months to provide detailed proposals on how they plan on divesting primary schools of their patronage.
The move comes on the publication of a survey on parental preferences for primary school patronage published today by the Department of Education.
Out of 38 survey areas selected according to specific demographic criteria, 23 have demonstrated demand for “an immediate change in the existing school patronage”, according to a Department of Education statement.
Among the 23 were Dublin 6, Malahide, Palmerstown, Portmarnock , Rush, Tuam, Westport, Ballina, Clonmel, Passage West, Dungarvan, Fermoy, Kells, Killarney, Leixlip, Loughrea, Cobh, Nenagh, New Ross, Shannon, Celbridge and Carrigaline.
One area, Birr in Co Offaly, showed sufficient demand for a Gaelscoil. Several others specified VEC patronage as their preferred option. There was insufficient demand in areas such as Wicklow, Skerries, Carrick-on-Suir and Roscommon, among others.
The level of demand required to support change was set at the minimum enrolment required for a four- teacher school, somewhere between 80 and 100 pupils. A total of 10,715 valid survey responses were received.The majority of parents who took part in the survey named Educate Together as their preferred patron.
Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn said: “We cannot ignore this call for change”. Fr Michael Drumm, chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership, said the figures needed closer analysis.
www.irishtimes.com
Comhdháil ar Litríocht na nÓg
Aibreán 2, 2013
Cén tionchar atá ag mionteangacha ar nós na Gaeilge ar ár dtuiscintí ar chultúr na n-óg in Éirinn agus san Eoraip?
Pléifear an cheist seo ag an tríú Comhdháil ar Litríocht agus ar Chultúr na nÓg ón 20-21 Meán Fómhair 2013 in Institiúid Oideachais Marino, Baile Átha Cliath.
Díreofar ar stair chultúr Gaelach na n-óg, ar an suíomh reatha, agus ar dhúshláin na todhchaí. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an Tríú Comhdháil ar Litríocht agus ar Chultúr na nÓg plé a spreagadh i measc oideachasóirí, scoláirí, foilsitheoirí, aistritheoirí, ealaíontóirí den uile chineál agus daoine eile a bhfuil spéis acu i litríocht agus i gcultúr na n-óg.
Iarrtar ar dhaoine a bhfuil spéis acu caint a thabhairt ar aon ghné de litríocht nó dechultúr na n-óg, teideal na cainte agus achoimre ar an ábhar a sheoladh chuig litriochtnanog13@gmail.com roimh 5in ar an 14 Meitheamh, 2013.
Minister for Education & Skills announces 23 towns will see change in patronage of primary schools
Aibreán 2, 2013
Report on surveys of parental preferences for primary school patronage published
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has published the results of primary school patronage surveys from 38 towns across the country.
These surveys were undertaken as part of the Minister’s response to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in Primary schools and are aimed at establishing if parents want a more diverse range of primary school patrons in their area.
Detailed analysis of the surveys shows that there is sufficient parental demand in 23 out of the 38 areas to support an immediate change in the existing school patronage. 22 of the areas will see the establishment of an English language multi-denominational school and one area will see an Irish language school established. Parents expressed a preference for an Educate Together patron in 20 of the areas and the other two towns will see Community National Schools established, run by the local VEC. 30 of the 38 areas surveyed already have a gaelscoil option available for parents.
Welcoming the publication of the surveys, Minister Quinn said, “This is another significant step on the road to providing a plurality of education and real choice for parents in the type of primary school they wish to send their children to. We are confident of a generous response from the existing patrons to the clear demand for change in more than 60% of the areas surveyed this year. “
The level of demand deemed sufficient to support a recommendation for a change in ethos of school was set at the minimum enrolment sufficient for a four teacher school. The outcomes and recommendations were verified by the New Schools’ Establishment Group which has responsibility for overseeing the process. While there is a cohort of parents in the remaining 15 out of the 38 areas who would support a change in patronage, the surveys show there is not sufficient demand at present to ensure that a school of different patronage would be viable. However, it is recognised that this may change in the future, at which point the position could be re-examined.
“There is also a strong demonstration through the surveys that many parents are happy with the current schools on offer and I think this reflects well on the education services provided by our existing patrons,” added Minister Quinn.
The surveys were undertaken for four weeks from the 14th of January. Parents of 0-12 year olds in each area were invited to participate. The towns were chosen as they had a relatively stable population of between 5,000 and 20,000 and therefore little prospect of any new schools opening in coming years to cater for demographic demand.
A total of 10,715 valid survey responses were received, the vast majority of which were filled in on-line. More than 2,000 responses were deemed invalid as they did not contain a PPS number, the address of the respondent or their name. Responses were further checked against data held by the Department of Social Protection to ensure that the children listed in each response are linked to the PPS number given and the relevant survey area.
Late last year, surveys were carried out in five pilot areas and these showed there was parental demand for a change in school patronage in each area. “Almost two thirds of the areas surveyed as part of this process, including the pilot phase, have shown sufficient parental demand for a wider choice of school patron. We cannot ignore this call for change. We will now be contacting the Catholic patron in each of the areas where we have identified this demand to request they now consider options for reconfiguring schools under their management in order to allow the transfer of a school to a new patron,” concluded Minister Quinn.
Copies of the report will be sent to all primary school patrons in each of the 38 areas. The Catholic Bishop or Archbishop in the 23 areas where demand for change has been confirmed will be asked to submit an interim response within three months and a final response with detailed proposals on divesting a school in six months.
The full report from the surveys is available at: http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/Report-on-the-surveys-regarding-parental-preferences-on-primary-school-patronage.pdf
Ballina: Educate Together
Ballinasloe: Insufficient demand
Bandon: Insufficient demand
Birr: An Foras Patrunachta
Buncrana: Insufficient demand
Carrick-on-Suir: Insufficient demand
Carrigaline: Cork VEC
Celbridge: Kildare VEC
Clonmel: Educate Together
Cobh: Educate Together
Dublin 6: Educate Together
Dungarvan: Educate Together
Edenderry: Insufficient demand
Enniscorthy: Insufficient demand
Fermoy: Educate Together
Kells: Educate Together
Killarney: Educate Together
Leixlip: Educate Together
Longford: Insufficient demand
Loughrea: Educate Together
Malahide: Educate Together
Monaghan: Insufficient demand
Nenagh: Educate Together
New Ross: Educate Together
Palmerstown: Educate Together
Passage West: Educate Together
Portmarnock: Educate Together
Roscommon: Insufficient demand
Roscrea: Insufficient demand
Rush: Educate Together
Shannon: Educate Together
Skerries: Insufficient demand
Thurles: Insufficient demand
Tipperary: Insufficient demand
Tuam: Educate Together
Westport: Educate Together
Wicklow: Insufficient demand
Youghal: Insufficient demand
