Vol. 430 No. 3
10 D'fhiafraigh Mr. Molloy den Aire Oideachais an bhfuil sé fíor go bhfuil múinteoir amháin le tógáil amach as Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Meáin, Contae na Gaillimhe (sonraí tugtha); agus an mbeadh sí sásta athmhachnamh a dhéanamh sa chás eisceachtúil seo agus an dara múinteoir a fhagáil sa scoil oileáin seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí raiteas faoin gcás.
I scoilbhliain ar bith, socráitear an líon oidí ar fhoireann teagaisc bunscoile ar bhunús an uimhir daltaí ar rollaí ar an 30ú (triochadú) Meán Fómhair den bhliain roimis.
Sa ghnáthshlí, is gá go mbeadh 25 (fiche cúig) daltaí ar rollaí ar a laghad chun post an dara oide a choinneáil sa scoil. I gcás scoil oileáin, laghdáitear an uimhir sin go 20 (fiche) mar shocrú speisialta.
Bhí 19 (naonúr déag) ar rollaí Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Meáin ar an 30ú (trioch-adú) Meán Fómhair, 1992 (naoi déag nócha dó). Ar an mbonn sin, níl ach foireann príomhoide incheadaithe sa scoil don scoilbhliain seo chugainn. Tá ainm an dara oide sa scoil curtha ar an bPainéal d'fhonn post eile a fháil di ón chéad lá Meán Fómhair seo chugainn.
Tá achainní speisialta déanta ar son na scoile seo agus tá iarrtha ar Cigire na Roinne fiosrú a dhéanamh agus tuairisc a sholáthar. Nuair a bheidh an tuairisc sin ar fáil, beidh ar mo chumas a mheas an bhfuil bonn ann le breithniú ar leith a dhéanamh sa chás.
In view of the exceptional circumstances which obtain on Inis Meáin, can the Minister give an assurance that the second teacher will be retained at this island school? There is a distance of some 30 miles from the part of Galway, where the Aran ferry leaves, to Inis Meáin. The Minister will agree that it would be a retrograde step in this day and age to seek to extract the second teacher from this school. The requirement to put the teacher's name on the panel may be simply to apply the Department's rules on a nationwide basis. All Deputies would be sympathetic towards the situation on an offshore island, such as Inis Meáin, where there is a small community. In view of the effect that would have on the small community population one does not want to do anything that would encourage anybody to leave the island involuntarily, can the Minister give an assurance that the second teacher will be retained?
I am sympathetic towards the situation but I am not giving any assurance in the House. I have already said in my reply that representations have been made to the Department on behalf of this school and my response has been to ask one of the Department's inspectors to investigate and report on the matter. When that report is available I will be in a position to consider whether there are grounds for an exception in this case. For the Deputy's information, 28 children were enrolled at this school on 30 September 1990 and there are 19 children to be enrolled in the school by 30 September 1993. The number is based on the numbers for the previous year. Enrolment at this school has steadily declined during the past ten years. Special arrangements are made with the Department for extra teachers on island schools. I do not know whether we will be able in this case in view of the general decline in numbers to retain a teacher but I will await the inspector's report. We are talking about a temporary teacher who could waive her panel rights. We have already in the Department a low pupil-teacher ratio to cater for island communities. If we are to make a particular exception for Inis Meáin so be it, but I would prefer to await the inspector's report for which I have asked, in response to the very many many Deputies who contacted me on behalf of this school.
Is the Minister aware that the inspector to whom she referred has visited the island and has been informed by the school principal that the anticipated role figures for the next few years for Inis Meáin national school are in the mid-twenties and that those figures are expected to remain steady throughout the next ten years? That is not taking into account any increase which may result from new families returning to live on the island. Is the Minister aware that while the inspector was on the island he indicated that it was up to the Department of Finance to provide special funds to retain the second teacher? What was the inspector getting at when he brought that message to the island? Surely it is a matter for the Minister for Education?
I have asked for a specific report. The drop in population that has been noted is depressing, but we all hope that with rural revitalisation we will be able to maintain communities and, in many instances, see island communities grow. I do not wish to comment on specific remarks made by somebody else. The report will take into consideration the projected numbers. There are many mechanisms for working out the numbers, for example, looking at baptisms and talking to the county councils about the services they supply. I indicated that I am certainly sympathetic and there is not much more I can say at this time. I responded to representations that were made and decided to have the matter investigated for my own information.
Will the Minister accept that Inis Meán is an exceptional case and that in the context of rural development it is different from the mainland? Any improvement in rural areas on the mainland would not apply to Inis Meán. In view of that, would the Minister agree that an exception must be made?
Exceptions are made for island communities. They do not have the same pupil/teacher ratio of schools on the mainland. Long before my time it was accepted that the pupil/teacher ratio of island schools would be lower than the mainland.
Why is there a delay in deciding this? It is some time since the inspector was on the island. At least one week's notice has been given of this question and the Minister's Department was well aware of it. What is the difficulty about making a simple decision?
I assure the Deputy that I will communicate with him as soon as I have the report. That is all I can say at this time.
