Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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154. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her plans to support the valuable contribution played by schools within rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3335/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. However, this does not mean that small schools can never have their staffing levels changed to something that is more affordable and sustainable for the challenging times the country has faced in recent years. As part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools was gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. An appeals process is available to schools that are affected by this measure.

Educational quality for the pupils has to be one of the main criteria in any consideration of primary school size. It is also necessary to consider the needs of local communities and of course there are wider social and cultural factors that need to be considered. How best to sustain provision for widely dispersed and small communities does present as a particular challenge, especially in any locality where enrolment in their schools is declining to single figures and amalgamation is not an option because there is no other school nearby.

Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by the Department in a value for money (VFM) review. The report of the value for money review of small primary schools will be published as soon as my Government colleagues and I have finalised our consideration of the report and its recommendations.

The report contains much detailed and technical data in relation to the small schools in the primary sector and it also contains a suite of recommendations and options. Government needs time to properly consider the review report and its recommendations. There are a range of important matters to be considered. Decisions on school provision and any possible reorganisation must be widely perceived to be cost-effective, equitable and reasonable. These decisions need to be based on a rigorous evaluation of requirements and needs, not just at a local level but also at both regional and national levels.