Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 707: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the intervention she proposes to make in a school dispute where due to particular circumstances enrolment for September 2006 has dropped from approximately 80 to less than 20; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the mediation process in this particular case (details supplied) has not succeeded; if her attention has further been drawn to the urgency of taking action now; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27956/06]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 713: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans in relation to a school dispute where enrolment for September 2006 has dropped from approximately 80 to less than 20; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the mediation process in this particular case (details supplied) has not succeeded; if her attention has further been drawn to the urgency of taking action now; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28027/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 713 together.

Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. In general, the Board has the responsibility to ensure that the school operates efficiently and effectively and also has responsibilities in relation to the action of its employees.

The board, as manager of the school must manage the staff in the school and intervene when it considers necessary to resolve matters relating to the actions of its employees. The Board of Management is the employer and has similar powers to any other employer. I should clarify that my Department is not the employer of teachers and therefore does not have an employer/employee relationship with the teachers in a school. My Department cannot therefore perform functions which are proper to the Board in relation to the management of the teaching staff of theschool.

With regard to the specific case referred to by the Deputy, the position is that, on 13th March, 2006, the Patron of the school dissolved the Board of Management and, with my approval, appointed a single manager to manage the school for a period of six months in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Education Act 1998. I am aware that the single manager in this instance is making strenuous efforts to address the difficulties at the school.

A meeting has been arranged for Thursday 6th July between the single manager and a senior official in my Department to discuss the current position in the school and to explore ways of resolving the situation.