Vol. 495 No. 4
394 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of second level schools which do not have boards of management; the plans, if any, he has to amend this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20076/98]
The latest information available to my Department, for the 1997-98 school year, indicates that approximately 170 post-primary schools, out of a total of 762, do not have boards of management.
Section 14 of the Education (No. 2) Bill, 1997, makes provision for the establishment and membership of boards of management, in line with my policy that all post-primary schools should have such structures. Inclusive boards of management's should be established throughout the second level sector. To this end it is my intention to facilitate agreements between the relevant partner groups similar to the agreement reached last year at primary level.
