Marie Sherlock (Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. I understand the Minister for Education is at the Cabinet. The issue I raise relates to the review of the after-hours use of school buildings. We understand the review is under way and this is most welcome. My questions are about the process of consultation on this review. Who will be consulted? Will the communities where these schools are located be given a say? When will the review be completed? When can we hope to have a stronger and more comprehensive set of guidelines in place from the Department to schools?

We are all aware of great examples where schools have taken the decision to open up their buildings in the afternoons and evenings, at weekends and during holiday periods to local communities for sports, clubs, youth work, adult education and indeed preschool and after-school care. We are also aware of far too many cases where, for whatever reason, school boards have decided they do not need, want or have to open. What is the Department going to do to ensure we better utilise what is in many instances publicly funded infrastructure? Across the vast majority of schools in Ireland we have a network of private patronage that is effectively publicly funded for day-to-day expenses. We will not get into the shortfall for schools' day-to-day expenses. In the main these schools are publicly funded. When the State has invested in a school building, is it acceptable that the Department and the State take a hands-off approach with regard to its out-of-hours use? In the 2017 Department guidelines on out-of-hours use, it is very evident that there is a hands-off approach by the Department. Of course these issues are sensitive but we should not shy away from them. This is not about balancing priorities between schools and communities. The priorities are exactly the same. The number one priority is the education of the pupils, the teachers and the school community.When a school empties out those same families, teachers and communities should still be able to use the building in some way. I have a particular local interest in this. A number of weeks ago the Minister, Deputy Foley, met a number of us with regard to a parish hall located in Drumcondra. It is the Corpus Christi parish hall on the Home Farm Road in Drumcondra. For decades, the girls' school there used this parish hall for assembly and other activities alongside general community use of the hall. The hall has been closed for almost three years, depriving the girls of indoor PE activities and assembly use. We have had the wonderful news that the Archdiocese of Dublin is planning to vest the parish hall in the school. I do not want to comment on the particulars of the negotiation on the precise use of the hall. However, I do want to reflect that there is a clear desire and demand on the part of the local community that when the needs of the school are met with regard to the hall it is also important to consider the needs of the community. The community has used the hall for many decades. We have a clear set of guidelines from the Department on out-of-hours community use of schools. We need a clear message sent out that schools should be doing more for their local communities and that they can play an even more fruitful role in their communities in terms of the use of school buildings.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Sherlock for raising this matter because it provides me with an opportunity to outline the position on the proposed review of the guidelines on the use of school buildings outside of school hours and the Government's firm commitment on allowing school buildings to be used where possible for community, educational and recreational use outside of school hours.

The Department of Education published the guidelines on the use of school buildings outside of school hours in October 2017. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance to schools on their current arrangements for the use of school buildings outside of school hours. The guidelines outline the various scenarios and inform where consent of the Department of Education is required. The publication of the guidelines followed a programme for Government commitment on the utilisation of primary school buildings for after-school care provision for school-age children to offer more options and flexibility to parents where there is demand for such a service, in partnership with community groups or private providers. In section 10 of the programme for Government, there is another commitment that school buildings must be utilised outside of school hours if they are to remain at the centre of their communities and this usage should include after-school care, homework clubs and other community activities where demand exists.

From various consultations undertaken as part of this process, it was evident that school property owners, school authorities and other stakeholders are, in general, favourably disposed to the use of their school buildings outside of school hours where this is appropriate, and many have considerable experience in doing so. The purpose of the guidelines is to provide guidance to schools on their current arrangements for the use of school buildings outside of school hours or to schools considering putting such arrangements in place. The guidelines also aim to address some of the issues raised by education partners as part of the consultation process and to make schools aware of the types of issues that should be considered when a school wishes to make its facilities available outside of school hours.

It is not intended that these guidelines are exhaustive or prescriptive and it is recognised that the management of school premises at local level is a matter for the relevant school authorities. The Department fully appreciates that decisions to make school premises available ultimately lie with the relevant trustees or property owners following a recommendation from the school authorities, and that the needs of the school, teachers and pupils must be prioritised. However, it is also the case that schools are often at the centre of sustainable communities and there are mutual benefits in building links with the local community, particularly in areas where schools have been newly established and where school facilities lend themselves to community use.

The Minister and her Department are committed to a review of the guidelines. This review will include consultation with relevant stakeholders, including representatives of schools and other Departments which engage with the community and voluntary sectors. The Department has already commenced a series of engagements with other Departments and plans further consultation in the near future. Furthermore, the Department plans to conduct a survey of a sample of schools regarding their experience in engaging with community and recreational groups seeking to use school property. This survey will commence in the first quarter of 2023.

Marie Sherlock (Labour)
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I reiterate that we all share the view that the first priority has to the needs of the school population and community. This is not in doubt. Earlier this year, in response to a parliamentary question, the Minister said the review was to commence in the third quarter of this year. We now hear about a survey in the first quarter of 2023 but we do not hear when we will see completion of the review. We do not hear anything about public consultation on this. Surely the public and local communities will be given an opportunity to have a say.

Notwithstanding the commitment to try to address some of the insurance and security concerns of boards of management, and many of them are genuine and legitimate, there is a failure by the Department to recognise it has a role in maximising the use of its public investment in school buildings. This is what we are speaking about. The State invests a great deal into school buildings but we see only a limited or partial return because the school buildings are closed for so many hours of the day and during the summer.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I again thank the Senator for raising the matter. As already stated, a review is under way with other Departments. The Department intends further consultation in the near future. The intention of the Department is that the review will ensure the guidelines on the use of school buildings outside of school hours are as effective and efficient as possible. It is the intention that the review will assist this process. The feedback received from discussions with the relevant stakeholders and the results of the survey that will commence in the first quarter of 2023 will be used to inform the review of the guidelines. Following the review, and in consultation with school authorities, the guidelines will be updated as necessary and all schools will be notified and encouraged to take on board the changes.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for his time. I also thank Senator Sherlock.