Vol. 566 No. 1
303 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will consider reversing his decision to withdraw grant aid to Doaghbeg national school, Portsalon, Letterkenny, County Donegal, and thereby ensure that this rural school can remain open. [11557/03]
My Department took the decision to close Doaghbeg national school because of the downward trend in enrolments and the fact that there was no prospect of a reversal in the decline. Numbers have dropped from 23 pupils in 1993-94 to seven in 2001-02 and the same number in the current year 2002-03.
Rule 36 of the Rules for National Schools states: "Aid is not continued to a school at which the average daily enrolment falls below eight units for two consecutive school years." A decision to close the school under rule 36, was taken after consultation with the patron, and the local schools' inspector. In taking this decision my Department was cogniscant of the fact that there are insufficient numbers of pre-school children in the area to ensure the continued viability of the school and the fact that the pupils currently attending Doaghbeg N.S. can be accommodated at other schools in the parish.
In view of the above, the decision of the planning section of my Department remains unchanged.
Question No. 304 answered with Question No. 296.
Questions Nos. 305 to 307, inclusive, answered with Question No. 289.
Question No. 308 answered with Question No. 292.
Question No. 309 answered with Question No. 293.
Question No. 310 answered with Question No. 294.
