Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason so many children have changed from a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; the steps she will take in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3683/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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.

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. This period has been extended by a further 6 month period up to and including 13th March, 2007. The resolution of difficulties in the school is a matter in the first instance for the authorities of the school. In this regard, I understand that the single manager is making strenuous efforts to resolve the outstanding difficulties at the school having due regard to the rights of all concerned. I am not in a position to indicate the reasons why individual parents decided to transfer their children from the school in question to other schools.