Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which she and her Department continues to liaise with the authorities at the various denominational schools in the various urban and rural areas with a view to maintaining the highest level of commitment in respect of smaller schools deemed to be under threat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45723/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am mindful of the concerns of smaller schools and rural schools. Our overall primary school enrolment has been growing rapidly in recent years and this is going to continue. In managing the resource consequences of this, it is important that decisions on school provision and organisation are based on a rigorous evaluation of requirements and needs, not just at a local level but also at both regional and national levels. Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by my Department in a value for money (VFM) review. This review took account of the ethos of schools and the locations of small schools relative to other schools of a similar type. The report of the review is under consideration. The Government is mindful of the concerns of small schools and will take these concerns into account in considering any planning framework for future provision of primary schools.