Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

There is no such thing as a bad or good school but there are weaker or better teachers. A small school with a weak teacher will result in having such a teacher for four years or the equivalent of half the primary school cycle.

As far back as 1966, an OECD report entitled "Investment in Education" challenged the feasibility of one and two-teacher schools in Ireland, citing their high cost per pupil, and the perceived shortcomings in educational resources and outcomes. In 1991, the OECD encouraged the amalgamation of schools, so as to have no fewer than four teachers in any school for good learning and teaching.

I have studied the inter-school report prepared on small schools by Alan Sigworth. He referred to school clustering standing out as the major innovation in the provision of in-service education and school development in sparsely populated areas. This offers a chance to rural communities to consolidate what they have going for them in rural education. The reality in many parishes is that two, three or four schools are competing for resources and students, while enrolment numbers are being forced down by demographics. They will eventually all close over a five to ten-year period. This is a chance for them to consolidate and ensure the future of education in rural Ireland. My desire is to see a parish-based board of management taking a strategic long-term look at the future educational needs of the parish, as opposed to having four separate school boards of management all looking inward instead of outwards to the future.

A recent study I undertook of enrolment trends in parishes in my constituency showed that since 1990 there has been very little change in the number of pupils attending primary schools. However, millions of euro have been spent on extensions and pre-fabs, while empty classrooms remain in many schools.

I largely support this proposal and accept that, while not ideal, it is the lesser of the evils involved. I welcome the fact that special needs resources have not been reduced in the coming year. When it comes to saving money in an education system that has 80% of its budget protected by the Croke Park agreement, I note with great suspicion the frenzied efforts of a minority of teachers to turn this issue into a protest, while refusing to acknowledge that the proposal will save €14 million. This is a paltry sum compared to the potential savings of €42 million over the next two years if pay increases to teachers were to be paused. There is a blatant hypocrisy on the part of a minority of teachers, so I ask them to fess up and deal with the reality.

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