Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the fact that the sports hall of a school (details supplied) which is a major amenity for other local schools and community organisations will become the property of her Department at the end of the 2006/2007 academic year, she will give a guarantee that the hall will remain available for community use for 10 years as this guarantee is a required condition for the drawing down of a National Lottery grant of €160,000 which has been already allocated for the further improvement of this facility. [13214/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the issues that were discussed at the three meetings between her Department and the trustees of a school (details supplied) before the trustees decided to close the school; and the reason no meetings were held with the board of management or the parents' association of the school. [13215/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if any sum of money has been refunded to the trustees of a school (details supplied) or any commitment made to refund money. [13216/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will meet the parents' association of a school (details supplied) to discuss outstanding issues in relation to the closure of the school, the transfer of students to other schools, and the future of the site as an educational and community facility. [13217/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding the archives including staff and student records of a school (details supplied) when it closes. [13219/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding the computers and data stored on them at a school (details supplied) when it closes. [13220/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 to 248, inclusive, 250 and 251 together.

A decision was taken by the Trustees of the school to which the Deputy refers that it will close in June 2007. This decision was taken because, in line with demographic changes in the area, the school has experienced a steady decline in enrolments in recent years.

Current enrolments in feeder primary schools indicate that this decline will continue. In fact, a general decline in enrolments in the area where the school is located has resulted in considerable spare capacity at post primary level. Coupled with the decline in enrolments, the Department was also concerned about the ability of the school in question to offer a broad and balanced curriculum given the relatively small number of pupils enrolled.

In all of the circumstances, at its meetings with the Trustees, the Department concurred with the Trustees decision to close the school. In line with the correct protocol, it is a matter for the Trustees to follow through the relevant issues with its Board of Management and parent body.

When it closes, ownership of the school property, which is currently vested in the trustees, will revert to the Department. In the period leading up to the closure, the Department will consider all available options with regard to its future use, including the sports hall.

Given the extent of spare capacity at post primary level in the general area, the Department does not envisage any difficulty in the residue of pupils securing alternative places. Normally a closing school assists its pupils to secure places in the event of any difficulty arising.

In relation to the responsibility for records management and data protection within a school, this lies with the Board of Management of the school in accordance with legislation governing the National Archives and Data Protection. School records including registers, roll books, daily report books are not Departmental records and as such are the sole responsibility of the Board of Management of the school. Records which need to be kept may be sent by the school to the National Archives. As schools keep records of personal data for pupils and staff, they must comply with the Data Protection Legislation. An advisory notice was sent to schools by the Department in 2003 reminding them of their obligations under the Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003 and advising that a written data protection policy be put in place. "A Guide for Data Controllers", issued by the Data Protection Commissioner which sets out the requirements for data controllers, was sent to schools with this advisory notice. Records of staff employed by the school that are paid by the Department are held in the Department for a period not exceeding 80 years. This is to facilitate the calculation of salary for pension purposes.

With regard to the computers themselves, if these were supplied by the Department, then they remain Department property to be used as the Department determines. If they were supplied by local fundraising then the Board of Management can determine what to do with them.

In relation to a refund of monies to the Trustees, it is unclear what type of payments the Deputy might have in mind, however, I can confirm the question has not arisen in the Department.