Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)

The loss of 50 pupils is the reason the numbers decreased. I carried out a survey on four schools in Mullingar this morning where there are major problems with school enrolments. Of the schools I surveyed, they were able to send out 139 acceptances but how many rejection slips were issued? Exactly 140. Here we are, faced with the situation in Mullingar, and the Minister will ask me what my solution is. The principals are meeting on Friday and the Minister should have officials present to speak with them, to determine what can be done and to discover if there is duplication in the numbers they have. The Minister must work out a solution to this.

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