Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

As we all know, 30 September is the important date for school enrolments. Surely when the Department presented possible options to the Minister for making savings and reducing expenditure, his decision should have been based on the most up date information on school enrolments. We have access to modern technology and we pride ourselves on quick access to information. There is no reason that a school could not be obliged to supply the relevant data to the Department by early October. Either enrolment is a certain figure on 30 September or it is not. It is wrong to base decisions on outdated enrolments. As the Minister will be aware from speaking to parents, teachers and his Department's inspectors, DEIS has been very successful.

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