The multi-denominational schools body, Educate Together, has written to every local authority in the State to ask if they have sites available for new multi denominational primary schools.
Many local authorities are under pressure from the Department of the Environment and developers to re-examine their development plans in order to build more houses to deal with the housing crisis. In areas of rapid population growth there will also have to be provision for new school sites.
Educate Together's co-ordinator, Ms Deirdre O'Donoghue, said that during previous periods of population growth and house-building expansion, local authorities tended to approach the churches, usually the Catholic Church, when a site was needed for a new primary school.
However, following the Minister for Education's decision to buy sites for multi-denominational schools, Educate Together was becoming more proactive in searching for sites for its schools. "We are the national body for pluralist education recognised by the Department of Education, and we presume local authorities will get in touch with us, as well as all the other school bodies, when a new school is required," she said. "What we don't want to see is parents realising in four or five years that they don't have any choice and approaching us then to build a multi-denominational school when there are no sites available."
She said the growing numbers of immigrants and returned emigrants, used to a more pluralist educational system, would add to the number of parents looking for multi-denominational schooling.
Some local authorities have replied to Educate Together's letter already. Waterford County Borough Council, for example, has said it is arranging a meeting with the local Department of Education inspector to discuss a suitable school site in its expanding north-western suburbs, and Educate Together's interest will be raised at that meeting.
Ms O'Donoghue said Educate Together had been receiving queries from parents, particularly in areas of rapid population growth such as Waterford, Carlow and Swords. There are currently 17 multi-denominational primary schools, compared to more than 3,000 denominational schools.
However, Ms O'Donoghue said there was still a "catch-22" which was making it difficult for new multi-denominational schools to be set up. She gave the example of the Dublin 15 Educate Together school, opening next month in rented space in a community centre in Castleknock.
Even if a suitable school site is found in this fast-growing area of west Dublin, the local authority will not be interested in selling it to the local multi-denominational school, but only to the Department of Education which will own it. However, the Department will not give permanent recognition to the new school until it has been established and proved itself viable for at least one year.
"Hopefully, Castleknock will get permanent recognition. Hopefully, there will still be a suitable site available, and hopefully the Department will buy it," she said.