The face of education in Ireland has changed substantially in the recent period with parents, guardians and students increasingly opting for education removed from the traditional patronage of the church and the catholic ethos that dominates the curriculum. There has also been significant development lately of Gael scoileanna within the county.

The County is now more diverse than ever and with all the positives of increased cultural and ethnic infuences comes a responsibility to provide the demanded necessary educational outlets. The negative outcomes for parents and children have most recently been experienced in City West where members of the community were essentially pitted against each other over the issue of school patronage. The County Development Plan should clearly look to avoid these outcomes in its policy.