asked the Minister for Education the number of rural national schools in County Donegal likely to be affected by the closure and transfer proposals recently adumbrated by him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Closing of Donegal Schools.
63.
My policy is to endeavour, whenever feasible, to replace one- and two-teacher schools by larger schools. There are 104 one-teacher and 187 two-teacher schools in County Donegal. At present investigations are being made in relation to approximately 45 such schools. It is not possible for me to say at present what the results of these investigations will be.
May we assume that this scheme in no way involves children leaving their native parish for their education? May we take it that the school to which they will be drawn will be located in the parish in which the present school is?
I could not give a 100 per cent guarantee of that. In most cases this will be so, but it may happen that in some cases the school will go up on the border of the parish. My endeavour will be to see that, where at all possible, the children will receive their education within their own parish.
That is a very important matter.