asked the Minister for Education if he has yet concluded an agreement in respect of draft deeds of trust for the initial batch of community schools and, if not, if he will state the outstanding points of disagreement and the interested parties with which these disagreements arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

18.

asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of a report (details supplied) concerning the existence of a document listing proposed changes in the deeds of trust for community schools; and, if so, if he will give details of the changes proposed.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together.

Considerable progress on the draft deeds of trust has been made in discussions with the various bodies.

I am not in a position to make any further statement in regard to it at the present time.

Does the Minister not feel that the Dáil should be informed of the progress made in relation to the deeds of trust especially in view of the increasing number of schools which cannot open because the deeds of trust have not yet been finalised? Could he give us some positive information in respect of the remaining differences between himself and the other parties involved?

To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a great number of schools that cannot be opened pending the signing of the deeds of trust.

I said that an increasing number of schools cannot be opened.

I do not know if there is more than one.