Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
Vocational Education Committees
256. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will
provide in tabular form the annual salary for each vocational education committee chief executive
officer. [8453/12]
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): Chief Executive Officers of
Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are paid directly by the Committees which employ
them. Accordingly, the information which the Deputy is seeking is not readily available.
However, my Department has requested the information from the VECs and this will be forwarded
to the Deputy as soon as it is received and collated.
Question No. 257 answered with Question No. 220.
School Patronage
258. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, while reforming
the education system, he will consider putting in place measures that will meet some of the
demands (details supplied); and if he will engineer future reforms to facilitate the meeting of
this significant demand. [8457/12]
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): As the Deputy will be aware the
Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, which is a key objective of the
Programme for a National Government 2011-2016, was officially launched by me in April last
year. Part of the terms of reference of the Forum are to advise me on the practicality of how
transfer/divesting of patronage should operate for individual primary schools in communities
where it is appropriate and necessary; and how such transfer/divesting can be advanced to
ensure that demands for diversity of patronage (including from an Irish language perspective)
can be identified and met on a widespread basis nationally. An Advisory Group appointed to
convene the Forum has held a number of meetings in public, during June and November 2011.
The Group sought and received submissions from the education stakeholder groups and from
the public as part of its work. The Group is currently finalising its report and I expect to receive
it shortly. In addition, in June 2011, I announced that 20 new primary and 20 new post-primary
schools are to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations. I also announced new
arrangements for the recognition of new primary and second-level schools. The new arrangements
published by my Department, provide a balanced approach to allow for applications to
be made from prospective patrons for the establishment of schools. The criteria to be used in
deciding on patronage of the new schools place a particular emphasis on parental demand for
plurality and diversity of patronage.
259. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, in respect of
the proposed new post-primary school in Maynooth, County Kildare, he can confirm if An
Foras Pátrúnachta has been ruled out of consideration for patronage of same, either as a single
application or as part of a joint one; if he can confirm that An Foras Pátrúnachta will not be
considered for patronage either as a single application or as part of a joint one; and if he will
make a statement on the matter. [8458/12]
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): As the Deputy may be aware, as
part of the new arrangements for the establishment of new post-primary schools, which I
announced in June 2011, I said that an initial decision would be made by my Department,
before seeking applications for patronage, on whether the school would operate through the
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