Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and I thank the Minister for being present to reply to the debate. I regret that she has declined my numerous requests since August to meet to discuss this matter, but I have an opportunity now. Since the measures were announced in budget 2012, I have worked hard to have some reversed and to have their impact eased, with some success, through, for example, the introduction of the appeals process. However, the impact on schools has been profound and it has led to huge difficulties. In particular, geographically isolated schools, which will never have the option of amalgamation and are far away from the nearest other schools, have been hit hard. The Department's message at the time the changes were introduced was that the entire process would encourage amalgamation.

For a small number of schools, mainly on the western seaboard, amalgamation will never be an option. Lauragh national school, on the Beara Peninsula in my constituency, is located on a stretch of 26 km where there are no other primary schools. It has lost its second teacher because it has 17 pupils, which falls below the threshold of 20.

It would be easy for the Department to allow a geographically isolated school to appeal its staffing allocation on the grounds that it is isolated. The Department's appeals board could then consider each appeal on its merits. Unfortunately, the Department is not showing any flexibility in this matter. I have been informed that the issue cannot be discussed until the value for money report has been published, which is an unacceptable position. Children living in geographically isolated communities are not any less important than children living in urban environments. This matter could be addressed with the stroke of a pen. I ask the Minister to act. The appeals process was introduced without any great difficulty and this issue could also be rectified. Unfortunately, it has not been addressed and children are suffering as a result.

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