Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will alter his small schools policy in the wake of remarks he made on a recent visit to County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23383/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will re-examine his plans for small schools following on from recent comments he made about their importance in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23381/14]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of his recent comments on the need for some communities to retain a small school, if he will reverse the changes he introduced in Budget 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23367/14]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will revise the budget 2012 changes he introduced for small schools in view of recent comments he made on the need for some communities to retain such schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23377/14]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 40, 47 and 49 together.

The Minister has previously made clear on a number of occasions that the final phase of the Budget 2012 measure in relation to small schools will not be suspended. Flexibility was introduced to the staffing appeals process for the small schools affected by the budget measure to enable them to retain their existing staffing level if they are projecting the required level of enrolments for September.

When the Minister was in County Clare recently he stressed that the Budget 2012 measure is not about closing small schools. He indicated that the Budget measure puts their staffing arrangements on a more sustainable basis. He also indicated that he is open to hearing various views in relation to maintaining rural schools. The Minister has had initial discussions with the CPSMA and the INTO in relation to their proposals on the issue of primary school consolidation and reorganisation.