Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2004
181 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the fact that due to depleting numbers and financial difficulties, the Catholic Church is withdrawing from education and closing some of its schools in Dublin’s inner city, his Department has a strategy in place to fill the vacuum that has been left by the church’s withdrawal from education; and if not, if his Department is compiling a strategy. [7953/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that voluntary secondary schools are privately owned and managed institutions and a decision to close such schools is a matter for the trustees. My main concern in a school closure is to ensure that the best interests of the pupils are looked after in the period up to the closure and that there will be sufficient pupils places in existing schools in the general area for pupils who would have normally enrolled in the closing school. This process involves consultation with all affected parties.
