Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

That is the message being sent to small communities throughout the island today. Perhaps what the Department wants to achieve is that, by sending that message, it will plant the seed of doubt as to the future of the school in the parents, who will then make a choice to send their children to a larger school. The Department can then wash its hands of the decision and blame the parents for making that choice. If that is the way it intends to close down the schools, shame on the so-called Department of Education and Skills.

Communities across this island are hearing this message. Like many Deputies, I have received letters. The following is the choice faced by the people of Leenane, on the Galway border. Due to its geographical location, the nearest school is 24 km away. Owing to the dispersal of the area, children from Leenane could end up going to four different schools, which would result in the division and the effective abandonment of young people in that community.

For example, suppose there is a family with two children going to the faraway school, one with a pick-up time at 2 p.m., the other at 3 p.m. It is 24 km away, there is no public transport and the way this Government is going perhaps the school bus system will go as well. There will be days, therefore, when the family in question will have to do two or three runs back and over, some 48 km each time. Nobody wins in that situation, not the student, not the parent, not the community. That situation is replicated all over the country.

The other myth propagated by the Minister of State who, I regret to say, lives in a rural area yet came in to the House and re-emphasised this message, is that small schools get more favourable capitation and other grant payments and have a favourable pupil-teacher ratio. Yes, they have a more favourable PTR and a more favourable system. They are entitled to it. The Government amendment ignores the reality of life for smaller schools, na gaelscoileanna and the faith-based schools. It ignores the fact that teachers in these schools face challenges that teachers in larger schools do not have. It ignores the fact that teachers must address not only mixed abilities but mixed ages. It ignores the fact that teachers and school communities in these areas are required to take a much bigger leadership role because of smaller staff numbers and a smaller school community. It ignores the fact that smaller schools, gaelscoileanna and the faith-based schools have a smaller base on which to get their extra capitation money.

The entire cut in this area is based on ignorance of the educational and societal value of the schools it directly targets.

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