1217. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the process for schools to decide if they want to be in the first group to take action on the patronage survey results. [61436/26]

1227. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of rounds for schools, who wish to engage with her Department to reconfigure their schools patronage. [61437/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1217 and 1227 together.

The Primary School Survey gathered the views of both parents of children currently attending primary school and parents of children yet to enter the school system. It explored preferences regarding school patronage/ethos, co-educational or single-sex provision and language (education through Irish or English).

In early June, my department issued primary schools with their school-specific results and explanatory information, marking the next stage in the process of engaging school communities on the future direction of their schools.

Boards of Management have been asked to share their survey results and explanatory information with their school communities, to review their survey results and to engage with their communities (including parents), and the local community (including parents with children not yet in school), before deciding on their next steps,

Decisions about the future direction of primary schools arising from the Primary School Survey work should be led by school communities themselves. It is important that schools are given the time and space to reflect carefully on their results and to engage fully with parents and the wider school communities before making decisions.

My department has published all school-level reports, survey results, guidance documents and supporting materials on www.gov.ie/PrimarySchoolSurvey. A national summary report including a county breakdown of the results, and school planning area level results (for planning purpose we have 314 school planning areas and all schools are assigned to a specific school planning area) have also been published on these webpages. These resources are designed to support Boards of Management in sharing results and engaging openly with parents, staff, patrons and the wider school community. My department will continue to support and engage with schools as they consider their individual results and next steps.

While primary schools have been asked to inform their patron and the department by 31 October if they request to be included in the first group, requests for change received after 31 October will be considered in a later phase of implementation

The first changes arising from this process are expected to be seen in schools from September 2027.