A spike in the number of primary school amalgamations could pave the way for divestment of patronage, the Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan has said.

The Government is being urged to make progress on the divestment of schools to other patrons.

CHANGES to school bus rules are an attack on rural Ireland and will mean new pupils travelling to different schools or their parents paying fares that are four times what they pay for their older brothers and sisters, teachers claimed yesterday.