Cathal BarryHopes have been raised that some of the nine new post-primary schools opening next year and in 2018 will be entrusted to Catholic patrons.
Le Chéile’s Education Officer Eilis Humphreys told The Irish Catholic the trust was “considering” tendering for one or more of the schools but insisted that “no decision” had been made yet.
“Other Catholic patron bodies will I’m sure be looking at it as well. It would be nice to think that if we don’t, some other Catholic patron body will go for some of the new schools. I think it’s great to see the vibrancy in the Catholic patrons sector,” she said.
Le Chéile, a Catholic schools trust, is responsible for Ireland’s first new Catholic secondary school in 30 years, Chéile Secondary School Tyrrelstown, which opened its doors in September 2014.
Tendering
Ms Humphreys said Le Chéile’s board had held “preliminary discussions” on the matter of tendering for the new schools.
“We wouldn’t rule it out but we’re not ruling it in either. We have been looking at the areas and to see where it might be a possibility,” she said.
Ms Humphreys also explained that the Association of Trustees of Catholic Schools would ensure that Catholic trusts wouldn’t be “competing” against each other in the process of tendering for new schools.
“What we wouldn’t want to do is have two Catholic patrons competing with each other in an area so we are getting our act together and communicating with each other so that we will know in advance if there is a Catholic patron body interested in one area. I would hope that we wouldn’t compete against each other because you would divide the vote,” she said.
Open
Of the nine new schools, six are due to open in September 2017 in Carpenterstown/Castleknock, Dublin 15; Malahide/Portmarknock, Swords and Lucan, all Co. Dublin; Limerick city and environs (south-west) and Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
The remaining three schools are due to open the following September serving Limerick city and environs (east); Dublin south city centre and Firhouse, Dublin 24.