Schools Administration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 January 2014

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Ceisteanna (281, 282)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

281. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the context of meeting the requirements as set out by the school authorities at Maynooth Post Primary School, County Kildare, the extent to which the preferred options as expressed by the various school authorities in the area have been borne in mind and accepted by his Department; if the unique nature and seamless structure of education in Maynooth, from primary to third level, is accepted; if due regard will be taken of the need to ensure that the future provisions and structure of second level education in the area reflects the strongly expressed preferred views of the persons as indicated in a local plebiscite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2922/14]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if in the determination of the format of the post-primary educational requirements in Maynooth, County Kildare, in respect of school buildings at Maynooth post-primary school, the Kildare-Wicklow Education and Training Board has been made aware of the strongly preferred options by parent groups in the area that the proposed two new school buildings should be amalgamated under a single board of management with a principal and deputy principals, that such management would be responsible for enrolment policy and administration; if his Department or the Kildare –Wicklow Education and Training Board have the primary statutory responsibility in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2923/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together.

I remain of the view that the optimum configuration for the two post-primary schools for Maynooth and, indeed, the best provision that can be made for the students in the area, is two fully vertical schools. The Deputy will be well aware of my reasons for this from our meetings on this matter and from my response to his recent parliamentary question.

I am aware of the desire locally to avoid issues of duplication or intra-community rivalry in the establishment of a second school and this has resulted in a new proposal from the parents' group to amalgamate the two schools, either temporarily or permanently. I believe, however, that there are a number of practical operational policy measures that can be implemented, with the agreement of parents and school leadership, to foster a stronger sense of common identity and to benefit from the advantages of shared resources, while maintaining two separate school entities. My Department will now be engaging with the Kildare and Wicklow ETB to consider this and I expect that the ETB will, in turn, be engaging further with the school leadership and parents in this regard.

Question No. 283 answered with Question No. 239.