Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

The first thing I want to put on the record is that I accept that there have been difficulties in this school since 2003 or 2004. I accept that the inspectorate was aware of the difficulties in the school. I do not accept that the inspectors were not working with the board of management, the principal and others within the school to ensure that an improvement is brought about. One does not want to close a school. We prefer to provide supports for the school to bring about improvements and work in partnership with both the principal and the board of management.

The Deputy will understand and accept that in 2005, for instance, the school having been visited on a number of occasions, it was indicated to the board of management and the chairman in particular that he was to put a proper scheme in place in line with every other national school in the country - and a principal was then appointed to that school who identified areas where improvements should be made and tried to introduce them. Unfortunately, this principal left the school after about 12 months. We then took it over under the whole-school evaluation system.

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