David Norris (Independent)
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This matter is about Drumnigh Montessori school, in the suburbs of Dublin. The school has been operating for the past 45 years. It has been extremely successful but the school is experiencing difficulties. It has two classes dealing with children aged three to six and one for children aged six to nine. The school has been in existence since 1962. It has occupied premises in various locations over the years including Malahide, Baldoyle, Portmarnock and Raheny. Currently, the school leases three classrooms from St. Colmcille's school in Donaghmede but it has a problem in that it has been asked to vacate those premises.

One of the difficulties is that of recognition. I ask the Minister to consider proper recognition of Montessori schools. I am aware the Minister for Finance plays a role in that because he holds the purse strings, and very effectively too, but it is his colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, a decent, humane woman, who is centrally involved in this matter. I am sure she would agree with me, particularly if the Minister were able to tell her that this is, as she possibly knows already, the centenary of the opening of the first Montessori school, Casa dei Bambini, in Italy. It would be a remarkable and appropriate gesture by the Government to mark this international centenary of a great educational movement by recognising for the first time the work done by these schools. The teachers hold certificates from the Association of Montessori in Ireland, AMI, and that qualification is recognised.

The Minister for Finance is a decent man who comes from the same bit of bog as my maternal ancestors. I always like dealing with a midlands man and one who is practical and sensible. As Minister for Finance he must guard the country's finances carefully but recognition of the school will not cause immense problems in that regard because it involves a relatively small number of schools. Only eight Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) primary schools in Ireland teach six to nine year olds and only one teaches children up to the age of 12. There is a small number of St. Nicholas Montessori schools, with which the AMI is allied, and the Montessori Education Centre, which is almost directly opposite my house in North Great George's Street and does very good work. There will not be a great drain on the Exchequer and it could be even helpful.

Montessori schools are very valuable in educational terms because children are encouraged to learn at their own pace through self-discovery and project work. The primary curriculum is completely covered by the Montessori method and the standards of all subjects, including Irish, are equal to that in national schools. One of the initial hesitations about Montessori schools was that they did not teach Irish but now they do.

Montessori schools provide very valuable assistance because there are overcrowded schools all over the country in huge new residential developments. The Montessori education movement can take some of the strain from the school system, particularly in the area to which I refer, where there has been substantial housing development, as the Minister knows. One only has to fly over Baldoyle, Portmarnock or Malahide to see the enormous sprawl. There is tremendous pressure on school places which the Montessori system could play some role in relieving.

Developers are obliged to make provision for community needs in new residential zones and will provide school buildings but can do so only for recognised schools, which is another reason these schools should be recognised. The principal of St. Colmcille's school, which has been very helpful to Drumnigh school, has made it aware that its accommodation might not be available after this year. The school has made various heroic efforts to find alternative accommodation but has not been successful. I wish to record my admiration for the fact that Drumnigh Montessori primary school is run by a volunteer board of management, comprising parents of the children at the school.

This year is the centenary of Montessori and the opening of the Casa dei Bambini in Italy. The school now teaches Irish and its teachers have recognised qualifications. It can help ease the considerable pressure from residential development in the area and will be provided with facilities by the developers if it is recognised. I know this is not the Minister's particular area but, as I have already indicated, there is a financial angle and I hope I have been able to demonstrate that, far from being a drain on the Exchequer, recognition of such schools can actually prove cost-effective.

I know the Minister will reply with a prepared script but I hope he will draw the matter to the attention of the Minister for Education and Science. I am glad to see he is nodding because the Minister for Education and Science is well-motivated and, like the Minister for Finance, able, gifted and decent. I hope she will be able to consider it and to meet with a delegation to discuss the matter. We must give recognition to alternative educational methods which have proved themselves by the production of excellent, well-rounded children.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Senator has outlined in detail the situation that applies to Drumnigh school and the wider role the Montessori movement plays in education. We welcome the plurality of approaches which now characterises the provision of education in Ireland, as exemplified not only by the Montessori movement but by Educate Together and various other providers, in addition to the established, traditional primary school system.

I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity on behalf of the Minister to outline to this House the Government's strategy for providing support for child care facilities, and to outline the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the application for recognition as a primary school by the proposed patron of Drumnigh Montessori primary school, Donaghmede, Dublin 13.

The Montessori method of education, among other methods within a very diverse sector, is well recognised and respected and contributes significantly to the development of early childhood education in Ireland. St. Nicholas Montessori teachers' association, which promotes the development of Montessori education in Ireland, is one of the seven national voluntary child care organisations which receives annual funding from the Office of the Minister for Children under the quality sub-measure of the equal opportunities child care programme and its successor programme, the national child care investment programme. The Montessori teachers' association is also represented on the national child care co-ordinating committee, to allow it to feed into national child care and early education policy.

Capital and staffing grants are made available to child care facilities, including those based wholly or partially on the Montessori model, under the equal opportunities child care programme 2000-2006, and the national child care investment programme 2006-2010. These programmes are administered by the Office of the Minister for Children, who might have some role in resolving this matter.

The Department of Education and Science recognises two Montessori qualifications for primary teaching posts such as resource teaching posts, posts in special classes and in special schools. The two recognised qualifications are the three-year full-time course in the Association Montessori Internationale College, Mount St. Mary's, Milltown, Dublin 14, and the HETAC-accredited BA in Montessori Education or BA (Hons.) in Montessori Education in St. Nicholas Montessori College, Dún Laoghaire. Teachers with Montessori qualifications recognised by the Department are also eligible to work as substitute teachers in mainstream primary schools.

Montessori education, together with other methods in the early childhood field, will continue to contribute to the development of early childhood care and education services in Ireland. Developments in this sector will be co-ordinated within the overall policy framework of the Office of the Minister for Children, which was established by the Government in December 2005 to bring together, and promote close co-operation among the relevant areas of the Department, the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

The application for the recognition of Drumnigh Montessori primary school as a national primary school must be assessed in accordance with the criteria and procedures for the recognition of new primary schools. It is important to note that one of the criteria requires fully-qualified primary teachers for mainstream teaching. Under this process, applications for the recognition of new primary schools are assessed by an independent advisory board, the new schools advisory committee or NSAC, on the basis of the facts provided by the applicant in support of the case for the new school and the likely demand for places.

The proposed patron of Drumnigh Montessori primary school submitted documentation to the NSAC for its consideration. However, this application did not comply with the formal application procedures in place for provisional recognition of primary schools for September 2007. This process requires that the notification of intention to apply for recognition and application for registration of patron be submitted on or before 20 April 2006. This is then followed by a public consultation process and the formal application must be submitted on or before 31 January 2007. As the application from Drumnigh missed both the notification and consultation deadlines the application could not be considered and the applicant was advised accordingly.

I recognise the Senator has raised this matter to see if there is any way around the bureaucratic rule in question. The rule is there for a reason and the Department must be able to plan for a September intake by making decisions in good time. The position of the school has been exacerbated by the fact that the existing arrangements may not hold for another year, putting its existence at risk. It has been exacerbated because existing arrangements may no longer hold for a further year, which might put the existence of the school at risk. Even if the formal recognition issue cannot be addressed in this year, I hope the problem regarding the physical surroundings of the school that are at risk, because the other principal is not in a position to guarantee their availability for much longer, can be addressed in some way so that the benefits the school is obviously bringing to the educational system can be maintained. Perhaps next year the formal recognition issue can be resolved meeting the criteria set out.

David Norris (Independent)
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I thank the Minister for the courtesy of his reply. In particular he teased out the issue and went directly to one of the points in which I am interested. Although it is too late for this year, perhaps the school might be able to get in on the next cycle. The Minister appeared to nod when I asked him to get his colleague involved and pass on the information. I hope he will do so. This indicates the difficulty of a Minister having a script prepared in advance. It is inevitable——

Rory Kiely (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator has presented his cases and he cannot restate it. He may ask a question if he wishes.

David Norris (Independent)
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I was effusively thanking the Minister. In terms of my effusiveness I must finishby saying that the Minister used the word"bureaucratic". I have a note written down that it is a recital of bureaucratic and legalistic points. So it is, but perhaps he can get behind it in a meeting with the Minister. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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The Minister's courtesy and civility are acknowledged.