School patron to be confirmed at end of the month

THE successful patron of a new post-primary school planned for Wicklow town will be announced at the end of the month.

Parents were invited to express their patronage preference on a new online patronage process system website. The voting process closed on July 31 and parents had a choice of four applicant patrons - Educate Together, Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, Le Chéile Schools Trust and Scoil Sinéad Limited.

The new school is due to open in September of 2019, initially in interim accommodation. The location of the site has yet to be confirmed by the Department of Education and Skills, though it is believed a site along the Port Access Road is among those under consideration.

A Department spokesperson said: ‘As part of the Department’s ongoing engagement with Wicklow County Council in respect of statutory planning processes and under the Memorandum of Understanding on school site acquisitions, the Department is currently examining all potential suitable site options, including appropriately zoned sites, to serve the relevant area.

‘ Taking into account all of the above, a decision will then be made as part of the site acquisition process in relation to an appropriate permanent location for the school. In the interim, the school will be established in September 2019 in suitable interim accommodation,’ the statement said.

The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). The Department is currently preparing assessment reports for the NSEG on Wicklow.

Following their consideration of the Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG will submit a report with recommendations to the Minister for consideration and final decision. It is anticipated that the successful patrons of the four schools nationwide will be announced later in the month.

Cllr Irene Winters was pleased to see that the new patronage process is voted for by parents.

‘At the end of the day the decision on patronage will be down to the parents. I welcome that the patronage is now decided by the parents of the children who will be attending the school rather than having something imposed on them,’ said Cllr Winters.