Dozens of small primary schools get lifeline

Dozens of small primary schools have been given a reprieve after the Government shelved controversial proposals that could have forced closures in rural areas

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan’s changes mean a partial reversal of cuts introduced since 2012 but will see only, at most, a handful of schools gain staff.

It comes more than two years after her department completed a value-for-money review of small schools, which will finally be published this week. However, Ms O’Sullivan said its recommendations were not accepted by the Government and it will instead form the basis of future discussions on small schools.

It would have put pressure on all schools of fewer than 80 pupils to close or amalgamate with neighbouring schools but the idea was the subject of huge backbench pressure on Fine Gael ministers.

Almost 1,100 primary schools have three teachers or less, including nearly 600 two-teacher schools and 44 with one teacher, down from 70 a few years ago.

In the last three years, 120 schools lost a teacher as a result of the previous budget changes, although five regained teachers due to later enrolment increases.

The moves should benefit around 30 schools next autumn and end long-running political pressure on the issue, which drew hundreds of people to a meeting in Caherciveen, Co Kerry, last week. It was organised by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, which welcomed the policy’s acknowledgement of the challenges for teachers in small schools. “These measures will make a significant contribution to sustaining a network of required schools in rural Ireland,” said general secretary Sheila Nunan.

However, the union has agreed to work with the department, and Catholic and Church of Ireland school management bodies, on a new procedure which could speed up the closure of some of the smallest schools. Under this idea, the patron of about 25 one-teacher schools within 8km of a school of the same patronage and language, or two-teacher schools whose enrolment drops below 25, will be asked to lead community discussions on their sustainability.

However, Fianna Fáil education spokesman Charlie McConalogue, whose former party colleague and tánaiste Mary Coughlan ordered the review in 2010, said the minister has not gone far enough and schools with growing numbers could end up with fewer teachers than those losing pupils.