An moladh atá déanta ná co-nascadh a dhéanamh ar na scoileanna seo.

Is í príomhaidhm GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. ná an ghaelscolaíocht a chur chun cinn, a éascú agus a spreagadh ag an mbunleibhéal agus ag an iarbhunleibhéal fud fad na hÉireann.

Má ghlactar le moltaí Mhic Charthaigh ina iomlán sna ceantreacha Ghaeltachta dúnfar, ar a laghad, trí scoil i nGaeltacht Chorcaí, cúig cinn i gCiarraí, ocht gcinn déag i dTír Chonaill, breis is scór i gCo na Gaillimhe agus tá baol ann nach mbeidh ach aon scoil amháin sa Rinn agsus i gCo na Mí má tá an méid sin ann!

Feachtas i gcoinne moladh an Bhoird SNIP Nua deireadh a chur le COGG

There are 3,200 primary schools in the State. Many of these schools (47%) are small with five teachers or fewer often located in rural areas. Given the size of the country and the total number of primary school pupils (500,000 at end 2008) the Group believes that there is scope to reduce the overall number of schools.

At present, there are 659 schools with fewer than 50 pupils, an average of 2.4 teachers per school and an average pupil teacher ratio (PTR) of 13.1:1. If these schools were amalgamated with other schools so that the average PTR increased to that applicable in the next category of school size (50-100 pupils), i.e. 16.2:1, this would save about 300 teachers, or about €18m per annum in salary costs. Further mergers of the existing 851 schools in the 50-100 pupil category, to achieve the average PTR applicable to schools with 100-200 pupils (i.e. 17.1:1) would facilitate a reduction of a further 200 teachers, saving another €9m annually. Such a consolidation of schools would also give rise to savings in other support staff such as caretakers, secretarial etc., while running costs such as maintenance, insurance and heating should also be reduced.

The Group notes that the necessary flexibility must be delivered to ensure that teachers can be re- assigned to amalgamated schools as appropriate. The Group also acknowledges that savings would be achieved over the medium term given the implementation issues involved and the need to develop proposals on an area by area basis, and that there would be offsetting costs involved in terms of implications for additional accommodation, school transport, etc. Nevertheless, the Group envisages that current savings of €25m should be targeted to be delivered from the amalgamation process over a period of three to four years.

Tuairisc Mhic Charthaigh