Educate Together gets go-ahead to open second-level schools
The announcement by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn received a strong welcome at the annual conference of the organisation which already has almost 60 primary schools under its patronage.
Educate Together first applied to open a second-level school in Lucan, Co Dublin, in 2007, but also has groups of parents at some of its primary schools gathering support for second-level schools in their areas.
Last year the organisation was unsuccessful in its application to become patron of a new second-level school in Gorey, Co Wexford, but registered the support of almost 1,000 of the 2,700 surveyed for the Department of Education in a choice between Educate Together or Co Wexford Vocational Education Committee (VEC).
But the decision of the Cabinet last Tuesday, endorsed by both Labour and Fine Gael, paves the way for the group to run some of the up to 20 new schools now expected to be needed in the next five years.
Mr Quinn said the number has risen from the 13 indicated by the Department of Education last January to between 15 and 20, due to continuing growth in demand for additional school places at primary and second level.
However, the group may still have to compete with other prospective patrons, including city or county VECs, in areas where there is demand for different types of new schools.
Mr Quinn told the conference that Educate Together has shown great leadership in creating and sustaining a national network of primary schools. He is finalising proposals for the Cabinet to develop a new framework for the recognition of new second-level schools as part of a commitment to plurality in the Programme for Government.
Educate Together chief executive, Paul Rowe, thanked the minister for securing formal recognition of patron status for the organisation at second level.
