Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way her Department defines rural schools. [6171/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department does not have a specific definition of a rural school. Rural areas differ in terms of their geography and population density and schools vary in terms of their enrolment size.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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144. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has a definition for strategically important small schools; and if so, the number there are within the State. [6172/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department does not define small schools in terms of strategic importance. Every school, small and large, may be regarded by the community it serves as being of strategic importance to that community.