Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will continue the practice of his recent predecessors in not signing deeds of variation for national schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15952/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The agreement to put in place Deeds of Variation for Charging Leases or Declarations of Trust dates back to the 1990's. At that time there were negotiations on the reconstitution of Boards of Management of primary schools. It was agreed that patrons would no longer nominate a majority of the members of a Board of Management. In return, it was agreed that Deeds of Variation would be put in place to vary the Charging Leases/Declarations of Trust. The objective of this Deed of Variation is to provide security for the denominational ethos of a school in cases where a patron or trustee owns the property. Discussions have taken place with the relevant patron bodies over the years to obtain a mutually acceptable solution which meets this objective and these discussions are ongoing.

The commitment given by the school patrons in 1997 to cede majority representation on Boards of Management was implemented. Hence the engagement by officials in the Department in the interim in relation to agreeing a form of words for the Deeds of Variation represents a recognition of the original commitment given to the school patrons at that time.