Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

I am delighted to speak on the Education (Amendment)(Protection of Schools) Bill 2012, which I wholeheartedly welcome.

The future of our schools is an integral and national issue which in one way or another affects us all. It is essential our children receive the quality education they deserve to set them on the right path for their futures, as well as the future of this country. Not only that, it is integral that schools serve the specific cultural, religious, geographical or non-denominational needs of the community they serve. This ensures their education is in line with the values, beliefs and needs of a particular community which should not be denied.

We are awaiting the publication of the long awaited value for money review of small schools being conducted by the Department of Education and Skills. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, has reiterated how small schools cannot be immune from the changes that are taking place in the public service and that they will have to work with fewer resources. Thirty eight small schools have had their appeals provisionally upheld by the appeals board, subject to confirmation their actual enrolments in September 2012 reach the required level. There are 84 schools in Donegal alone with four teachers or less. As with most matters, it is the rural community which will suffer the most. These measures would undoubtedly have catastrophic consequences in Donegal leading to closures all over the county, as well as in other rural communities across the country. This is why I welcome that this Bill provides for educational planning to be undertaken on a proactive basis. Instead of being based upon the enrolment of any one year, it will rather be based upon demographic trends established over several years.

While the Department's report earlier this year stated there is no significant relationship between school size and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in schools, this report does not look at the whole picture. Small schools are already accustomed to multi-grade teaching. However, there is a deep concern the amalgamation of schools due to closures would lead to an unsustainable multi-grade arrangement based on enrolment figures. The proposed measures would, accordingly, deny children the right to an appropriate and adequate education, not only regarding quality of education, but also their right to receive an education in accordance with specific values and beliefs within a reasonable geographical distance. This Bill provides for that, particularly in strengthening the rights of teachers with regard to multi-grade teaching arrangements.

I find interesting a recent intervention by a Unionist politician in the British Parliament over the issue of cuts to Protestant schools. Lord Kilclooney has raised the issue in the House of Lords where he asked whether the Irish Government is complying with its human rights obligations under the Good Friday Agreement with its proposals to curtail financial support for Protestant schools. This needs to be examined.

Perhaps most significantly in this Bill is the protection of small schools in Gaeltacht areas and offshore islands, many of which are located in Donegal. Without these provisions, there would be a harmful impact upon the Donegal Gaeltacht and the islands. Section 3 places an obligation on the Minister to ensure the continued operation of a school that is the exclusive provider of education for a geographical, cultural, religious or non-denominational community or for a recognised Gaeltacht or island community. Section 4 provides that a school will not be closed due to a lack of funding for teachers. Section 6 provides that no teacher will have to teach any more than four curricula at any one time. This ensures a school cannot drop below the minimum requirement of teachers.

We have obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and indeed under the Good Friday Agreement to provide for an education for our young people. The Government has to recognise these obligations and step up to the mark in maintaining these standards and providing for all the children of the nation.

Today, at the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the committee heard from the Donegal islands that are threatened with ongoing fishing bans that mean that the islanders cannot provide work for themselves. There is no use resolving these issues if they will not be able to provide an education in their own community for their children. There needs to be a holistic approach to rural life. Life and survival are difficult enough in rural Ireland with emigration, threats to traditional employment and now the threat to schools. This Government should be providing for children maintaining diversity and contributing to a flourishing of rural life, not undermining people's ability to bring up their families in rural areas.

Combined with the cuts to enrolment numbers and teachers, many rural communities are facing difficulties in transporting their children to school as well. The Department does not recognise the parish basis to many rural communities and instead forces children to travel to different parishes to attend school where they may have no connection. This cannot be allowed to continue. All our children should be educated as closely as possible to their communities. A small Gaeltacht school in Meenamara, County Donegal, was forced to close last week. Children now will be bussed outside of their parish to attend a school which the Department describes as their nearest school. This does not recognise the connections the community has to its parish, however. This Bill attempts to address this and provide focused planning in school provision.

I commend the Bill to the House.

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