Máirín Quill
Question:145 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in the issuing of instructions to the patrons of primary schools regarding the composition of and appointments to new boards of management. [5673/97]
Written Answers. - Boards of Management.
A draft agreement on the future governance of primary schools, unanimously agreed between the Catholic Primary School Managers Association, the Church of Ireland Board of Education, Educate Together, Foras Patrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán Ghaeilge, the Irish National Teachers Organisation and the National Parents Council (Primary) was presented to me on 28 November 1996 by Dr. Tom McCarty, the independent facilitator who presided over the discussions on primary school governance since September 1994.
I am now considering the detail of the draft agreement. As part of this process, I have referred the draft to the Office of the Attorney General for advice on its format, constitutionality and general legality, prior to submitting an agreement to Government for its approval.
I am not in a position, therefore, to issue any documentation regarding the composition of and appointments to new boards of management until that process has been completed.