Plan needed to cater for demand for 'oversubscribed' Educate Together schools

Despite the non-denominational school patron opening more than 50 new schools in the past 10 years, large pockets of the country do not have access to schools outside a religious ethos

Emer Nowlan says many Educate Together schools are heavily oversubscribed. Picture: Moya Nolan

This year marks the first time in 14 years that Educate Together has not been sanctioned to open a new school.

This is mainly due to changing demographics. Already starting to level off, pupil numbers at primary level are expected to drop in the coming years.