The Department of Education and Skills has appointed Educate Together as patron to two new national schools opening this September 2016. The schools will be located in Drumcondra/Marino and Cabra/Phibsborough.
Commenting on the announcement, Educate Together CEO Paul Rowe said:
“Well done to the Educate Together start-up groups who have been working hard to ensure their children can access their preferred model of education. We look forward to working with the local community and the Department to make sure these schools open as efficiently as possible.”
Today’s announcement is warmly welcomed by the parent groups that have campaigned for many years for access to equality-based schools in their communities. Said Caroline Gardiner of the Drumcondra Marino campaign group:
“After four years of being part of the local group campaigning for an Educate Together school, we are so delighted today. This is a huge gain for our local community and one that will benefit the local kids for years to come. We are over the moon, we were worrying about what school to send our child in September and now we have the ideal option. This comes after four years of campaigning, and is such an achievement for the local start up group and for the area.”
Details of the Enrolment/Admission procedures and accommodation for the new schools will be released shortly.
Goatstown/Stillorgan – disappointment
Educate Together is disappointed on behalf of the many parents in Goatstown/Stillorgan that showed their support for Educate Together schools by completing Expression of Interest forms and helping with the campaign and would like to acknowledge their hard work and advocacy. Gerry McKevitt, Educate Together Regional Development Officer for Leinster said:
"I would like to thank everyone who has offered support throughout the campaign, especially the parents of the children who expressed an interest and pre-enrolled their children”.
Growing demand
All over Ireland, evidence of growing parental demand for Educate Together schools is undeniable. Our existing schools and start-up groups are reporting that thousands of children are now being signed up to our already over-subscribed waiting lists. There is now an estimated 15,000 – 20,000 children’s names signed up to campaign lists for new Educate Together school places. That number grows every day.
In response, Educate Together has a practical, achievable plan to embed equality in the education system: the establishment of a national network of Educate Together primary and secondary schools. This would mean that all families in Ireland would have access to an equality-based school within 30 minutes travel time from their home. We are wiling to work with the new Government on implementing this plan so that all families in Ireland can have a choice in the school type they can send their children.
