Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to have the opportunity to raise this issue and I am grateful for the attendance of the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock. I wish to raise the widespread concerns among the Protestant community over the future of educational facilities, with particular reference to primary schools. There are 199 Protestant schools in the State: 124 Church of Ireland, 24 Presbyterian, one Methodist and one Quaker. Fifty of these have fewer than 30 pupils. Fifty are in Dublin, with the remainder dispersed around the country, many in rural locations serving rural families. There is real concern in the Protestant community about smaller schools. It is estimated that 20 of these schools will become one-teacher schools by the year after next. I regard the concept of a one-teacher school to be somewhat undesirable. I would be anxious to hear the Minister of State outline how this will work and how one-teacher schools can be managed. Forty of these schools have fewer than 26 pupils, and 90 have between 26 and 86 pupils. Some 50% of Church of Ireland schools are directly affected and will lose a mainstream class teacher on current enrolment as a result of last year's budget. Depending on enrolments over the next four years, a further 10% of schools could be affected. The cuts will render many of these schools less than viable and many will need to close. This can be compared with the figures for Catholic schools and for schools generally: 11% of Catholic children are in a school of fewer than 86 pupils, while 12% of all children in a school of fewer than 86 pupils. Protestant children are three times more likely to be affected by the change in pupil-teacher ratio than those in other schools, which I believe is unfair. What form of dialogue, consultation or negotiation does the Minister plan in order to deal with the issue?

There are other issues of concern to the Protestant community, including teacher allocation reductions; school transport reductions and eligibility changes; reductions in capitation grants; the removal of the minor works grant after this year; changes to school enrolment, which will undermine the ethos safeguards that have been guaranteed since the foundation of the State; and changes to the role of religious education in schools arising from the patronage forum report. In essence, many schools in my constituency and in the constituencies of the Acting Chairman, Deputy O'Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, serving a geographically dispersed and culturally distinctive community in rural areas, will close.

The question of amalgamation has been raised, but I do not know what the guidelines are for amalgamations. What dialogue has there been on proposing amalgamation? In most cases, when schools are closed, it will mean the loss of Protestant schools, not only across large areas of the country but to large sections of Irish society. This is an issue of major concern across communities where education is being sent on a downward spiral. I am not asking for any community to be treated differently, but I want communities to be treated fairly. I want to see meaningful action on the part of the Government to reassure minority communities that there is a place for diversity and pluralism within the system for education provision.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I am taking this Topical Issue matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank Deputy Charles Flanagan for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position on the issues raised.

The Government has protected front-line services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013-14 school year as a result of the budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected, with no overall changes to staffing levels or funding as a result of the budget.

How best to sustain education provision for widely dispersed and small local communities presents a particular challenge, especially in any locality where enrolment is declining to single figures. The Government is intent on fostering pluralism in school provision. Supporting small communities, including minorities, in maintaining their schools is part of that policy.

The value for money review of small primary school provision is at an advanced stage of preparation. The Department expects to publish the review, at which stage its findings can be debated.

At post-primary level and in order to promote fairness in funding second level schools, a two point increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in fee-charging second level schools will be introduced in September 2013. There are 55 schools, out of 723 post-primary schools, charging fees, ranging from €2,550 to €10,065 for day pupils. The State pays the salary of one teacher for every 21 pupils in these schools, compared with the salary of one teacher for every 19 pupils in schools in the free education scheme. A ratio of 18.25 pupils to one teacher applies in DEIS schools. The pupil-teacher ratio will rise to 23:1 in fee-charging schools from September 2013. However, these schools have the resources, through fees charged, to employ teachers privately, an option not available to schools in the free education scheme. A report on the analysis of the tuition income of fee-charging schools, carried out by the Department of Education and Skills and published on Tuesday, 5 March, shows that fee-charging schools have considerable discretionary income and are best placed to manage with reduced public funding.

There are some concerns within the Church of Ireland community about the recent budget measure affecting fee-charging schools. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring students from a Protestant or Reformed Church background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos, while, at the same time, ensuring funding arrangements are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The Minister has welcomed the recent announcement by Kilkenny College that it is entering the free secondary school scheme and will cease to charge fees from September next. It is a welcome development that the school considers that its future can best be secured through the free scheme and that it can continue to deliver a Church of Ireland school ethos for families in the south-east in this way.

In regard to capitation, the Department provides capitation funding for all recognised primary schools and second level schools within the free education scheme. There has been some reduction in the level of capitation funding in recent years owing to the need to operate within our tight budgetary requirements.

With regard to the fee-charging Protestant schools, there is an arrangement whereby funding is provided by my Department for the Secondary Education Committee, SEC, an organisation run by the churches involved in managing the Protestant secondary schools. The SEC disburses funds to the Protestant fee-charging schools on behalf of pupils who would otherwise have difficulty in meeting the cost of fees and who, in the absence of such financial support, would be unable to attend a second level school of a Reformed Church or Protestant ethos. Funding amounts to €6.5 million annually and this fund ensures necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice.

Regarding school transport provision, a number of changes have been implemented in the primary and post-primary school transport scheme. These changes are being applied equitably on a national basis.

I confirm that the Minister and his relevant departmental officials will continue to engage with the relevant education sector stakeholders, including the Church of Ireland and boards of education, on education provision for all areas.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I have two questions. First, will the Minister of State provide a copy of the guidelines set down by the Department to encourage amalgamations or the process leading towards amalgamation? My understanding is that the position is far from clear and that there is not the level of consultation the Minister of State would like to see, although I accept what he said about there being an opportunity to engage in consultation in the future. It is essential that there be such consultation.

Second, does the Minister of State accept my belief that the concept of a one-teacher school is wholly undesirable and that one-teacher schools do not work? If schools are to close in many parts of the country, there will not, therefore, be a school of the same ethos where children can obtain an education simply because the distance involved will be too great and the area too remote. In effect, where Church of Ireland or other Protestant schools close throughout the country but particularly in the west and County Donegal, there will not be an education of choice available to such children. That is undesirable and I want the Minister, without treating people differently, to ensure they are treated fairly in this regard.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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On the first question, I can facilitate the Deputy in ensuring he receives guidance on the guidelines on and processes involved in amalgamations. On the second question, the Constitution does not allow for either positive or negative discrimination in schools based on their religious ethos.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I do not accept that, but that is another argument.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I take the Deputy's point on the position in certain areas of the country where there is a one-teacher school and, owing to geographical or other considerations, pupils may not be able to avail of the nearest school with their ethos. This is an issue with which we have to grapple. I know from my experience in my constituency where the Department has had consultations with the local bishop that there are ongoing discussions on how we can sort out these issues. In that sense, there is an open door. On the point on one-teacher schools, I would be of the mindset that we need to take these examples and grapple with them example by example. I would certainly have an open mind in facilitating that process.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State.