Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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256. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the potential closure of a school (details supplied) in County Carlow due to lack of funding; and his plans to prevent this from occurring. [44680/18]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied); and if there are plans to close the school. [44718/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 260 together.

I wish to advise the Deputies that my Department has not received any correspondence from the Patron of the school concerned relating to plans to close the school.

I also wish to advise the Deputies that my Department is very aware of the importance of small schools to rural communities and particularly the most dispersed and remote communities. To provide such communities with security about the future of their schools, a commitment is contained in the Programme for a Partnership Government not to close any small school without the consent of parents.

I also wish to advise the Deputies that the decision making authority for a school closure belongs to the Patron of a school, and this is subject to the agreement of the Department.

Any proposal to close a school must involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders, parents, teachers, students and local communities and follow decisions taken at local level.