Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator is well aware that each school is an independent autonomous entity, managed by a board of management, primarily appointed by the patron and representatives drawn from within the school community. The process of consultation must be initiated by the boards of management of each respective school. One would expect that when the consultation process begins there will be ample opportunity for parents, teachers and members of the wider community to have a role in determining the shape of the process of amalgamation. Once the significant process of consultation has been completed and a firm proposal is ready to be submitted to the Department of Education and Skills, the Department has a role in the amalgamation process. It must be the decision of the community and the respective boards of management as to how the proposed amalgamation will take place. At present, it would be premature for the Department to be involved because the significant process of consultation has not taken place.