Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

I wish the Minister for Education and Skills the best. His is probably one of the most important Ministries. Decisions made by the Department over the next five years will shape the future of the nation for the next 50 years and beyond. His portfolio is critically important and I wish him well with it.

I want to zone in on the value for money review of the smaller primary schools currently taking place. I represent Sligo and north Leitrim where there are many small two or three-teacher schools. The pupils, parents, management boards, teachers and wider communities in these areas fear that the value for money review of smaller schools is not a value for money review, but an exercise in discovering how primary education can be provided more cheaply. A value for money review requires that we are able to measure and compare outcomes between the smaller and larger schools. However, I am not aware that any outcome measurements are available or are being used. The INTO maintains that the outcomes from smaller primary schools are at least as good as outcomes from larger schools.

Based on Department figures of the number of smaller schools in the country, the projected savings for each school amalgamated would be approximately €80,000 per annum - €80,000 for what? The result would be higher transport charges, children would spend longer on the school bus morning and evening and children from closed smaller schools would be sent to larger schools which might be already overcrowded and lack adequate facilities.

Sometimes we and the Government seem to forget that we are unlike the rest of Europe, in that we have dispersed settlements. Not all of us live in cities and larger towns and villages. That is part of our heritage and culture and what we are. People in rural areas have witnessed the closure of post offices, Garda stations, pubs and shops. They face difficulty getting planning permission and their football clubs have been weakened through emigration. Such issues have worsened and accelerated over the past decade. Now these people face the threat of closure of smaller primary schools.

Seldom does one hear somebody from the Opposition praise a Minister or Minister of State. However, I will do so. I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, on the unequivocal undertaking he gave at a public meeting in Sligo last night that no smaller school in Sligo or Leitrim would be closed on his watch. I appreciate his clarity on this. I ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide similar clarity for smaller primary schools State-wide.

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