John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I compliment Deputy Brendan Smith for putting down this motion and for giving us an opportunity to make a case on behalf of the smaller schools across the country. The Minister for Education and Skills has managed to upset all strands of education in the last month, such as DEIS schools, career guidance teachers and now primary schools. Many meetings have been held around the country, including in my own county where parents are up in arms about the decisions being taken by the Minister. I have attended many school openings over the last few years and I hope that when new schools are opened in Wexford in future, the Minister will be able to come and get involved. At the moment, there is alarm and concern about his actions in respect of the smaller primary schools.

We have to recognise that the primary schools are at the heart of the local community. They are the heartbeat of a parish. They are usually the feeder for the local GAA club, soccer club, youth clubs and all other aspects of community living. Long before I got involved in politics I saw schools being amalgamated and the village and community that lost the school lost their identity and their soul. It is very important that the Minister recognises that the school is very much the focal point for the community.

The Minister claims that small schools mainly have a more favourable pupil-teacher ratio than larger schools, but he is not comparing like with like. Teachers in small schools have pupils of all different ages and ability in their classroom. Small schools have been invited by the Department of Education and Skills to consider their future and assess their options for amalgamation. When the heavy-handed Department asks the small primary schools to consider their future, does that mean that they will be forced to close or forced to amalgamate? We have often seen in the past that when the Department decides to do something, its heavy hand is usually imposed and the Department gets its way. The Minister must clarify whether there will be forced amalgamations or whether it will happen by agreement. It should not happen at all. According to groups like the INTO and the IPPN, the idea seems to be to force smaller schools to amalgamate or close by making it more and more difficult for these schools to teacher larger groups, with fewer teachers having to teach more classes.

I was involved, along with other Deputies from Wexford, including the current Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, in the development of a small school in Ballyoughter in Gorey. Around €900,000 was spent two years ago on a small school in the area. The people involved raised money, the Department gave them money, and they built a new school, which has a small number of students. Is the Minister for Education and Skills going to force that school to amalgamate with Ballycanew, Camolin or some other adjoining parish? If that happens, we will have a €900,000 school lying idle in the future.

The Minister must step back from the decisions he is considering in this whole area. They have been announced without debate, consultation or agreement. If the crowds turning up to meetings around the country are anything to go by, then the Minister is in for a major fight on his hands. People want to retain schools in their own community as the heartbeat of the parish. It is important that the Minister recognises the importance of such schools and that he steps back from the proposals he has put forward in the last few weeks.

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