1248. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way schools can engage the parents of children who are not yet in the school regarding their wishes for reconfirmation of patronage.  [61709/26]

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.

Each school-specific report includes the preferences of the parents with children in the school and also the preferences of the parents of the future incoming pupils. The explanatory information, which accompanied the school specific results, also includes clear guidance on the steps which each school needs to take on circulating the information to their communities and on engaging with their communities. The explanatory information includes guidance to help schools understand the parental preferences as set out in their school-specific report, including examples of a good mandate for change and a good mandate for no change.

My department will continue to support and engage with schools as they consider their individual results and next steps.

Schools have been asked to inform their patron and my department by 31 October 2026 if the school requests to be included in the first group to action the survey results.

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