Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I, too, thank the Minister of State for his response. However, we see the Government every day handing over important decisions such as this to independent bodies, whether they be the HSE, the National Roads Authority or whatever. At times, it is a requirement to be independent, but I ask the Minister of State to take into account the fact that these are real children, not statistics. Bureaucracy sometimes can overcome the common sense that should prevail in our communities. I am sure Mount Sion primary school has already made a very good appeal with all the information the appeals board requires. I ask the Minister of State, however, to take notice of that appeal and watch the outcome. I am very hopeful the appeals board will make the right decision based on the information submitted and on the case Senator Cummins and I have made in the Seanad.

If this appeal outcome is negative in any way, both of us will be back in all our powers to revisit this subject because an appeals board should not be overly bureaucratic. This is where we can restore faith in politics. The real facts should mean something. We have presented some of them today, the Mount Sion board of management will present the full picture to the appeals board and I hope that, based on its merits, the school will retain its full complement of teachers. If it does not, only the pupils of that disadvantaged area will suffer. That is not something I can stand over and I shall revisit the matter if that happens.