Parents to choose patrons of new schools through online system

Parents in dozens of areas where new schools will open in the next four years will have to choose patrons online to run them because of past problems with the selection process.

The details are yet to be finalised but the plan is being announced by Education Minister Richard Bruton today as he publishes the list of the areas involved.

They have been identified as those where population growth and birth rates are high enough to justify the establishment of new schools.