Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the two locations where proposed amalgamations have been initiated by the management bodies and the patron. As the Deputy rightly said, the day-to-day responsibility for the management of former Christian Brothers schools lies with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. The patron for Roman Catholic schools is the bishop of the diocese in which the school is located. The prime mover is essentially the Catholic authorities and the trust operating in the manner they do now.

Deputy Conaghan has informed me of the situation in Ballyfermot to which Deputy O'Brien referred. The Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, have brought my attention to the case in Deputy O'Brien's constituency. These are matters that the Department will facilitate and respond to but I must tell the Deputy that there have been no formal communications from both schools. We have been made aware of these matters not in writing but informally. It is a matter for the relevant authorities, including the parents and school community, to arrive at a satisfactory outcome. I understand - I qualify the word - that in both cases, it is due to falling numbers overall within the locations in which the schools are located and that some attempt at amalgamation and rationalisation was explored.

This is how the matter stands, but I would love to see a proper amalgamation. Consultation is ongoing. In so far as the Department can be of help in those discussions, our services are available and have been in the past.

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