Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to a query regarding the amalgamation of schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27195/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Oireachtas enacted the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act in 2012. Section 42 of this Act, which sets out provisions relating to the charitable status of contributions by congregations, was commenced in March 2013. Section 42 empowers the Commissioners for Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland to authorise property transfers and sales related to the making of contributions by congregations to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund or as contributions towards the cost of the response to residential abuse. The recent commencement of section 42 will facilitate the transfers of properties to the Minister for Education and Skills such as in the case of the school referred to by the Deputy. The Congregation that owns the property concerned has offered to transfer it to the State as part of its offer of a number of properties made in response to the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the Ryan Report). The Government has agreed to accept this and a number of other properties offered. The Department of Education and Skills, through the Chief State Solicitor's Office, is working on finalising the transfer of the property in question. When the transfer of the property has been completed, the Department will be in a position to further consider how this project could be progressed within the context of the available funding.