Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of applications seeking approval for the amalgamation of a boys national school with a girls national school in the same locality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13195/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has at present logged some 5 applications for amalgamation from boys and girls schools in the same locality.

There are various reasons why a school should seek an amalgamation. They can include demography, meaning either a decline or increase in enrolments, the desire for co-education, financial reasons, condition of school buildings, parental/teacher demand etc. However, a Patron must consent to such an application before it can be accepted by my Department.

To process an application, the Department must be satisfied that the Patron has consulted all of the relevant school stakeholders — Boards of Management, teachers and parents — and that they are in agreement with the proposal.

Assessment of an application then involves such matters as projected population growth or decline in an area, the impact on other schools in the area, implications for teachers, accommodation requirements etc.

Once an amalgamation is approved to proceed, an entirely new school is created with its own roll number, Principal teacher, Board of Management etc.

Any building project arising to accommodate the new school attracts a band one rating under the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects in recognition of the fact the fact that the State is no longer required to maintain a number of separate buildings in an area. However, the progression of such projects to construction will depend on the overall availability of finance for school building purposes in any given year.