Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's response does not add up or make sense. The Minister is sitting on a report commissioned to assess how small schools are working and what future policy should be in this area but he will not publish it in order that there can be a full debate. Instead, the Minister of State said the Minister is continuing to consider issues relating to the report long after it was put together and these considerations were made. This is unacceptable. This is happening at the same time as measures are being taken to put the same schools under massive pressure. The Minister is moving on and will be replaced but the report has still not been published.

Representatives of the Dublin archdiocese appeared before the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection last week and they indicated that 10% of their schools are unsure whether they will continue to operate over the next two to three years. That is the scenario facing them. It is not acceptable that the Minister of State should dillydally around considering reports while that scenario pertains in our primary schools.

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