Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response but, on the criteria for this, enrolments make up 25%, pupils' standardised test scores in second, fourth and sixth class make up 68.5% and educational disadvantage is based on pupils' addresses. If you are within an urban area, you will not have any need because you have infrastructure in the area around you. Many rural schools have little infrastructure and students must travel long distances to school. Their numbers sometimes fluctuate because the population is lower and they do not have the proper infrastructure. Planning laws and other regulations made here stop the populations of these areas from increasing. I want to see a two-tier system that will protect rural schools and help them to grow while giving us the same criteria as regards education into the future.

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