The Department of Education & Skills today invited patrons and prospective patrons to apply to become a patron for any or all six new schools, due to open in 2020, which are being set up to meet the demand from growing populations in parts of Greater Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

The new schools will open in the following areas:

• Dublin 15: in the Blanchardstown West & Blanchardstown Village school planning areas, location to be confirmed 
• Goatstown: in the former Irish Glass Bottle recreation site, Goatstown
• Enfield: in the Kilcock school planning area, location to be confirmed 
• Citywest/Saggart: on the ETB site at Fortunestown Lane
• Harold’s Cross: in the former Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium
• Wicklow: Kilcoole & Greystones school planning areas, location to be confirmed 

Once the prospective patrons have made their applications for the Department of Education & Skills,  parents and guardians of eligible children living in the areas will be asked to express their preferences on patronage of these new schools through an online survey. Parents whose children will be commencing first year in secondary school from 2020-2024 and who are living in the relevant school planning areas will be eligible. The survey will include an option for parents to express a preference for Irish or English-medium education.

If you’d like further information about the process, or about the benefits of Irish-medium education for your child, you’re very welcome to contact us on 01 8535195 or eolas@gaeloideachas.ie. You can also find lots of helpful information for parents elsewhere on our site: Information for Parents 

We’ll post further information and the link to the online survey for parents as soon as it’s made available by the Department of Education & Skills (and after the August 28th deadline for patron applications).