Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)

There is a certain inevitability that debates in Private Members' time can go off at a tangent. It is important, however, to return to the real issues involved. They are encapsulated in the motion moved by our party's education spokesmen, Deputy Brendan Smith, as follows:

That Dáil Éireann:

— condemns the Government for introducing changes to the staffing schedules in 1, 2, 3 and 4 teacher schools in Budget 2012;

— objects to this policy decision which unfairly targets schools with less than 86 pupils and which will result in a loss of 250 posts and an increase in the pupil/teacher ratio between now and 2013;

— further objects to the Government's covert approach to amalgamation and closure of 1, 2, 3 and 4 teacher schools;

— condemns the severe impact this will have on gaelscoileanna, scoileanna Gaeltachta and minority faith schools in particular;

— further condemns the Government decision to apply the new staffing schedule based on 2011 enrolment figures; and

— recognises that small schools are at the heart of communities.

Some 47% of the 3,200 primary schools in the State have five teachers or less. This year, small schools will be facing the loss of 100 posts, while in 2013 this figure will rise to 250, which is unacceptable. The proposal does not take account of the geography and catchment area of many schools, particularly in the west, as well as in my own constituency of Louth and elsewhere around the country.

This proposal will lead to forced amalgamations and closures. Research has shown that children who attend smaller schools excel in their social and general emotional development. There is much greater parental and community involvement in social activity and the general maintenance of school buildings. Over the last 15 years, there has been a huge investment by the Department of Education in many of the schools we are talking about in this debate. It would seem to be a significant waste of money to proceed with the Government's proposal. There are many examples of schools that were completed in recent years which may well face closure as a result of this proposal.

There will be a serious and disproportionate impact on minority faith schools, such as those of the Church of Ireland. I am sure there is one in virtually every constituency. They will be seriously and adversely affected by the proposal before us. If some of those schools are forced to amalgamate or close, where will their ethos be upheld? The Minister for Education and Skills has placed considerable emphasis on the ethos of our schools, but it will clearly suffer. Has the Department carried out an impact analysis of this proposal? If so, will it be made available to Members of this House? Will an appeals mechanism be built into this project?

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