Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is not an urban versus rural debate. I am aware of a school in an urban area that is in precisely the same position as Donaghpatrick national school in County Galway. For demographic reasons, it, too, will lose and subsequently have reinstated a development post. The issue in such cases is that demographics in the locality are changing from one year to the next.

In asking me to freeze the pupil-teacher ratio Deputy Paul Connaughton is asking me to pre-empt a budgetary decision. As he is aware, as a Government Minister, I am unable to do this. A budget will be announced in two weeks.

I will be pleased to publish the value for money report once I have discussed it with my Government colleagues. I agree with Deputy Brendan Griffin that a public debate is needed on the issue. The report has been completed, but the Government has not yet agreed to publish it. I must, first, have a discussion with my colleagues before I can publish it. I acknowledge, however, that a specific issue arises in isolated geographical areas where amalgamation is not an option because the distances between schools are too large and the number of children is too small. We will address the issue.

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