The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today announced his decisions on the patronage of new post-primary schools to be established in 2013 and 2014.
Announcing the patronage of the new schools, Minister Quinn said, “In making the decisions on the patronage of these new schools I was particularly conscious of taking into account the clear parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage.  The successful patrons include those of a Catholic ethos, Church of Ireland ethos, multi-denominational and Gaelcholáistaí.”
“I am particularly pleased that Educate Together will be patron in one school and co-patron in a second school, given that ET was officially recognised by me as a second level patron just one year ago. I am also pleased that for the first time in a generation a new Catholic and a new Church of Ireland voluntary secondary school are to open.  This demonstrates clearly that I and the Department are committed to diversity of ethos and respect for parental choice.”

Educate Together have said they are delighted to become the first new second-level patron since 1930.
Speaking on today’s announcement, Michael McLoughlin, Chair of the Dublin 15 Educate Together Second-level Campaign Group, said:
‘We are delighted. After all the hard work parents in the area have put in, the dream that our children will be able to attend an Educate Together second-level school is to become a reality. We are looking forward to working with Educate Together and the whole community to make the Blanchardstown West school a high quality, welcoming option for families in the area."
Speaking about today’s announcement, Alec McAllister, Chair of Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School Action Group said:
“We're very excited about the road ahead, and look forward to working with Co Louth VEC on a new community school, the first of its type in the country.”

The Irish Vocational Education Authority have sent out a press release stating: The announcement today by Minister Ruairí Quinn that four VECs (Co. Dublin VEC, Co. Kildare VEC, Co. Galway VEC, and Co. Meath VEC) have been designated as patrons of four new second level schools to open in 2013, in new and expanding areas (Lusk, Co. Dublin; Claregalway, Co. Galway; Naas, Co. Kildare; and Navan, Co. Meath) has been welcomed by IVEA as a vote of confidence in VECs’ capacity to develop and manage top-class second level schools.
In addition, the fact that four VECs (Co. Cork VEC, Co. Kildare VEC, Co. Lough VEC, and Co. Meath VEC) have been designated as patrons of five new schools to open in 2014 in Carrigaline, Co. Cork; Maynooth, Co. Kildare; Drogheda/Dundalk, Co. Louth; and Ashbourne, Co. Meath is a commitment to the future of VECs as they are reformed into Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in the months ahead.

Minister Quinn also added: “I am confident that these new schools, alongside the existing schools in each area, will mean that parents and students have real choice when it comes to deciding which school most reflects their own ethos.”
Today’s announcement is the culmination of the process which began in June 2011 when the Minister announced that 20 new post-primary schools were to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing pupil numbers.  

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) welcomes today’s announcement that Educate Together has been approved as patron of 2 second-level schools. "Educate Together have a long tradition in the primary sector and their presence in second-level is a great leap forward for Irish Education."

The successful patrons are: