Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I am glad that the Minister of State, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor, is here to reply.

In November 2018, the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board made a shock announcement that it proposed to close two schools, namely, St. Bricin's College, Belturbet and St. Mogue's College, Bawnboy, and provide a new amalgamated school in Ballyconnell, County Cavan. Oireachtas Members and local councillors for that electoral area were told that at a briefing by the ETB that afternoon and later that day the ETB put the proposal to the full ETB board, which approved the proposal, unfortunately. Subsequently, the representatives of teachers and the boards of management were informed of the ETB proposal. This came completely out of the blue.

It is an area that I know well because I am from Bawnboy. There was no indication of any such proposal being considered by the education and training board. Packed public meetings were held in Bawnboy and Belturbet, where the organisers of the meetings asked for the communities' views on the ETB proposal. There was a very clear message from both meetings that the local community in each school area absolutely opposed the closure of the schools and proposed so-called amalgamation.

The meetings were representative of the school community in both cases. Speakers on the night included students, past pupils, former teachers, representatives of local sporting and voluntary organisations, and local business. Testimonies were given that night by past pupils who had gone to forge very successful careers in many different disciplines of the important influence the schools had on their development as persons and in their chosen careers. Those testimonies were from people working in our own country and people working abroad as well.

I have received correspondence from numerous past pupils of both schools who outlined clearly their appreciation of the schools' role in their education and in preparing them for careers. It was clear that these schools have had great accomplishments over the years with their students.

Both Bawnboy and Belturbet are located in north-west Cavan, as the Acting Chairman, Deputy Eugene Murphy, would know. Students travel over considerable distances to attend both schools. One has to look at the geography when one considers amalgamation or providing services in a different location than where they have been provided up to now. If a school was provided in Ballyconnell, the students furthest west of Bawnboy would be lost to a school in an adjoining catchment area, in a neighbouring county and in a different province. Similarly, the students in the Belturbet catchment area adjoining the Cavan town catchment area would be most likely to travel to Cavan town to source their second level education rather than Ballyconnell, also for distance reasons. Cavan town post-primary is already heavily subscribed with all second level schools there with full enrolments.

Detailed submissions have been made to the Department and the Minister, Deputy McHugh, in respect of the role of the schools and their accomplishments over the years. Those submissions detailed the many national award winners and scholarship winners from both schools and the participation by both of those schools in all-Ireland competitions, in European competitions and, indeed, in other international competitions where they brought great honour and glory to our country.

I am anxious that the detailed submissions are given very serious consideration by the Department of Education and Skills. I fully believe that if an amalgamated school were to proceed in Ballyconnell, it would not have the confidence or support of the local communities.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am aware this is a serious issue for Deputy Brendan Smith and for the school community. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh. In responding, I will comment on this matter because I know quite a bit about amalgamations of schools and was responsible for the amalgamation of two schools.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me and the Minister, Deputy McHugh, with the opportunity to clarify the position on the proposal by Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board, CMETB, to amalgamate St. Bricin's College in Belturbet with St. Mogue's College in Bawnboy, west Cavan.

I am aware that there is significant interest in this proposal from interested stakeholders in the area. Both schools are post-primary co-educational schools operating under the auspice of CMETB. St. Bricin's College in Belturbet has an enrolment of 195 students in the current academic year. This is a slight decrease from 222 pupils in 2014. St. Mogue's College enrolment is 227, which is an increase from 197 in 2014.

The Minister, Deputy McHugh, wishes to advise the Deputy that the initiative for any amalgamation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, boards of management and patrons. Any such proposal to amalgamate schools must involve consultation with all the relevant stakeholders and follow decisions taken at local level. If I can just comment on that, stakeholders have to buy into an amalgamation for it to be a successful one. In that regard, any proposed changes must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the interests of parents, teachers and local communities and contributes to an inclusive education system. If I may add, students' views must also be taken into account. Any proposals are then subject to the approval of the Department of Education and Skills.

The Minister, Deputy McHugh, can confirm that the Department received a proposal from CMETB to amalgamate St. Bricin's College in Belturbet and St. Mogue's College in Bawnboy in December last following the unanimous approval of the proposal by the board of CMETB on 26 November 2018. The ETB proposes locating a new school entity in Ballyconnell. The Department subsequently sought further information from the ETB on the amalgamation proposal.

The ETB recently advised the Department that a series of meetings with stakeholders has taken place and further consultation meetings are planned. The object of the consultations was to provide additional information on the proposed amalgamation of both schools and to ensure that any concerns raised are heard and taken into account.

I have given an example of all those the ETB has met in the meantime.

I do want to advise the Deputy that the Department has not given a specific commitment of funding to Cavan-Monaghan ETB to develop a new second-level school. The Department looks forward to continued engagement with Cavan-Monaghan ETB relating to the amalgamation proposal. On behalf of the Minister, I again thank the Deputy for the opportunity to clarify the current position in respect of the potential amalgamation.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for her reply. It is obvious from her response, particularly when she went off script, that she understands that amalgamation can only be brought about when there is buy-in from all stakeholders. There is no buy-in from any stakeholder regarding this proposal. Meetings and consultations are being held now that should have taken place before November 2018. In replies to a number of my parliamentary questions, the Department has stressed that there has to be detailed consultation by the patron of the school with all stakeholders before any proposal would go to the Department. That is the way it should be but, unfortunately, it is not how this has come about. I know the area very well because I am a native. There is absolute opposition to the proposal. The staff in the schools, parents of students attending both colleges, past pupils and the wider school community are all in favour of retaining the two schools. I have outlined the geographical considerations as well. Some pupils who attend those schools at present would, if they closed, go to schools in adjoining catchment areas, some of them in different counties and provinces. That is not the way to deliver second-level education in north-west Cavan.

I appeal to the Minister of State to go back to the Minister as she stated she would. For a relatively small capital investment at each school, a range of additional facilities could be provided. I have attended awards nights in the schools and have listened to people like the directors of schools at the ETB or, prior to that, the VEC, as well as guest speakers. They laud and praise the schools for the quality of the teaching and leadership, for their achievements from an educational and extracurricular point of view, for their participation in sports in so many disciplines and for their active role in many cross-Border projects. The Minister gave me a commitment some months ago that he would meet a deputation from both schools. I hope he will be able to do so before August. I appeal to the Minister of State to bring that message back to him.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. The ETB has advised the Department that the series of meetings which the Deputy talked about has taken place. The object of the consultation, according to the ETB, was to provide additional information on the proposed amalgamation of both schools and to ensure that any concerns raised are heard and taken into account. Of the meetings held with the stakeholders to date, the general consensus expressed is that the proposed amalgamation is the only means of rectifying the deficiencies within both school buildings.

The Department's view on amalgamation proposals generally is that every case needs to be considered by all involved on its own merits. In areas of mature population where enrolment numbers are reducing over time and school buildings are not being utilised to full capacity, or where there is a separate single-sex school, amalgamation can also be merited. Equally, it has to be recognised that there can be significant sensitivities involved. These are best addressed through a process of local dialogue and consultation aimed at ensuring that any proposal meets the interests of the communities concerned. The ETB has considered that a new school catering for the enrolment of 500 students would better serve the educational needs of the area and provide improved facilities for both schools. A new school would also strengthen the continuance of a post-primary school provision in the west Cavan area.

Those are the notes that I have from the Minister's office. I will absolutely raise with the Minister the very succinct points the Deputy has made.