asked the Minister for Education whether he will consult the Minister for Finance with a view to having all future vocational education schools in the City of Dublin built out of funds to be made available from the Central Fund, thus relieving Dublin ratepayers of the burden, particularly since they are already paying 8½d. in the £ for the maintenance and equipment of existing schools, together with loan charges on £130,000, of which 50 per cent. was recouped, for new buildings.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Vocational Schools.
It is not my intention to consult with the Minister for Finance as suggested by the Deputy. The Department of Education pays grants to the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee in the ratio of £2 to every £1 obtained from the local rates.
asked the Minister for Education if he will give details of the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee's long-term building programme; and if he will state when the programme was first presented to his Department, and the number of completely new schools, independent of reconstruction or additions, which have since been built.
In 1935-36 the committee drew up and presented to the Department a scheme of development comprising proposals for (a) five central schools, namely, schools of technology, commerce, trades and crafts, domestic science and music; (b) for new regional schools in Marino, Cabra, and Crumlin; (c) for extensions to the existing schools at Bolton Street and Rathmines and (d) for the replacement of the old Domestic Science School at Shelbourne Road, Pembroke, by a new building.
After the war, in November, 1945, on the occasion of their appeal to the then Minister for increased grants the committee intimated that they had in mind a building programme as follows: Pembroke Domestic Science School, Crumlin (boys' and girls' schools), North Strand (boys' school), Whitehall (boys' and girls' schools), Bolton Street extension (boys' school), Kevin Street extension (boys' school), Williams' Park, Rathmines (boys' school), a new school of music, new central offices.
The present long-term programme would appear to include in the first instance:—
Boys' schools at Clogher Road, at Whitehall, at Killester and at Emmet Road, and girls' schools at Whitehall and at Crumlin, and later a boys' school at Williams' Park (Rathmines), an extension to Bolton Street (boys' school), a new science school and a new school of music.
Since 1935-36, when building proposals were first presented to the Department by the committee, the following building programme has been carried out:—
(1) The new College of Domestic Science at Cathal Brugha Street and the new regional schools at Marino and Cabra. These are completely new buildings, as well as being new schools.
(2) A completely new building has been provided for the domestic science classes which are at present housed at Shelbourne Road (Pembroke). It is expected that this new building will be ready for use after Easter.
In addition to this:—
(3) New schools have been opened in buildings reconstructed for the purpose at Mount Street, at Denmark Street and at Aldborough Parade (North Strand).
(4) Considerable extensions have been made to Rathmines school and to Bolton Street schools, which enable these schools to serve as central schools of commerce and trades, respectively.
(5) Sites for new regional schools have been obtained at Crumlin Road, (girls' school), at Whitehall (a boys' school and a girls' school), at Killester (boys' school), at Emmet Road, Inchicore (boys' school), and at Clogher Road, Crumlin (boys' school).