Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Labour)

Even after the changes in threshold for small primary schools are implemented, the average pupil teacher ratio in a two-teacher school will be 7:1, or 17:1 in a three-teacher school. As a father of three school-going children, and as someone from a rural area, I am sensitive to the decisions that are taken with regard to small schools. A calm, rational debate is needed, examining all options, including some in the Fianna Fáil policy of 1992, such as amalgamations, the idea of shared services and the idea of super principals across a range of schools, and the idea that schools could collectively purchase in order to get a better outcome for the children. The gradual nature of a planned change will give schools, communities and stakeholders the opportunity to consider the options are listed by the Minister.

See this speech in context