FOLLOWING A REVIEW of parental preferences, the Minister for Education has announced that four new multi-denominational schools will open this September.
The schools, to be run under the patronage of Educate Together, will be located in Tramore, Waterford; Trim, Meath; Malahide, Dublin and Ballina Mayo.
A fifth school – Scoil San Seamus in Basin Lane, Dublin 8 – will also change hands from September with Educate Together moving into the building.
The development comes as part of the primary school divestment process which involved surveys of parents in 43 towns across the country.
Currently about 90 per cent of primary schools run under Catholic Church patronage.
The Department of Education identified 28 areas where there is an immediate need for multi-denominational education.
Minister Quinn welcomed the progress in the divestment process today but noted that there are still no permanent buildings available for the schools in Trim, Tramore and Malahide. They will set up in temporary start-up accommodation in order to meet the demand for a greater choice of primary schools.
In Ballina, the transfer of a Church of Ireland school, Newtownwhite NS, Ballysokerry, to Educate Together is under discussion following an agreement about a change in patronage.
Quinn said that talks are continued with the main Catholic patrons about securing permanent accommodation in the towns chosen.
“The engagement with patrons so far has been open and generous. I am sure that with the co-operation of all concerned and with the support of my Department, further progress can be achieved,” he said in a statement.
The three locations, Trim, Tramore and Malahide, were selected after talks with the existing Catholic patrons on the potential for permanent accommodation options and discussions with Educate Together on their priorities for initial start-up areas.
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