Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will forward the information directly to the Minister. In the short time available to me, I wish to put another matter on the record. There is no need for a response from the Minister of State as I am putting it on the record for the consideration of the people in the Department of Education and Skills. It relates to the issue of smaller schools. The initial thinking about smaller schools was that eventually a school would become a one teacher school and, as a result of parents voting with their feet and taking the students from that school, the school would close. However, that is not the case. Parents of children in one teacher schools, and I have in mind one such school in my constituency, wish to keep their children in these schools. The teacher is under pressure so we must examine the resources available to such teachers and other resources for protection, safety, regulation and a proper educational environment. I raise this for the attention of the people in the Department of Education and Skills. They should re-think the capacity and resources being provided for the teacher in one teacher schools. Parents are voting with their feet. They wish to keep their children in one teacher schools and we must support them.

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