asked the Minister for Education if it is proposed to close national schools at Glenlaighan and Shallagans, County Donegal; and, if so, if he will consult parents of pupils in these schools before doing so.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Schools.
45.
No proposals have yet been formulated regarding the future of the national schools at Glenlaighan and Shallagans, County Donegal.
My Department will in due course communicate its proposals to the Reverend Manager, who is the person charged with the direct government of the schools. As regards consultation with parents, I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I have given to Question No. 43.
46.
asked the Minister for Education if he will state the position in relation to Ballyboes national school, Falcarragh, County Donegal; and if he will make a full statement concerning this matter.
Ballyboes national school is a two-teacher school. In accordance with the announced policy of providing better primary education for children in larger school units, where such is at all feasible, my Department is investigating the question of how the children of Ballyboes can best be served in the matter of primary school facilities. Every effort will be made to have this matter brought to early decision.
I did not hear the first remarks of the Minister. Did he state this school is closing down?
"Ballyboes national school is a two-teacher school. In accordance with the announced policy of providing better primary education for children"—I think the Deputy heard the rest of it. I said the question is being investigated.
What question is being investigated?
The question of what type of primary school facilities should be provided in this area is being investigated, but no decision has been come to yet because the investigations are not complete.
Would the Minister not consider taking some immediate action in relation to the school? It is a very old school and in very poor condition and it is not satisfactory that the Minister should say the Department are considering what action they should take. They should either build a school at Ballyboes or tell the parents of the children that they are not building a school there.
I suppose one could make decisions without any consideration or consultation but the Deputy would have another story to tell if I did that.
I do not wish the Minister to take me up wrongly. That school is in bad condition for the past 10 years and the Department are well aware of it. After 10 years they should be in a position to state whether they are going to build a new school there or not. They should not hedge on the issue.
The Deputy is aware that we inherited thousands of schools in bad condition. We have made tremendous progress in dealing with them but inevitably until we have completed that programme there are going to be a number of schools in bad condition, known to the Department to be in bad condition for a number of years, that have not been dealt with. The Deputy need not think this is an exception.
No. 47.
I want to ask the Minister——
I have called the next question. The Deputy has had four supplementaries.
From whom did the Minister inherit the bad schools?
The Deputy will have to go back to school and learn his history.
The Minister's Party have been nearly 40 years in office.
47.
asked the Minister for Education if he will state the present position regarding Drumbeg national school, Raphoe, County Donegal; and if he will make a full statement on the matter.
I have already explained to the House, on a number of occasions, my present policy in regard to the closing of small schools and the provision of transport services to convey the children to larger schools.
The school referred to by the Deputy is a one-teacher school with about 16 pupils on the roll. I consider that the educational interests of the pupils would best be served by the amalgamation of the school with the larger schools in Raphoe. My Department is in communication with the Reverend Manager in regard to this proposal.
The cost of a transport service from the Drumbeg school district to the schools in Raphoe will be met by the State except that the Manager will be afforded an opportunity to make a nominal contribution merely to preserve the managerial position.
In view of the Minister's recent statement that he would consult with the parents in regard to such schools, that every consideration would be given to requests put forward by the parents to retain the school, and in view of the fact that a substantial amount of money has been spent on this school and that it serves a very small community, would he not give favourable consideration to allowing the school to carry on giving service to the community until such time as all the parents are prepared to toe the line in relation to the recent policy statement of the Department of Education?
As I said, this is a one-teacher school with 16 pupils on its rolls. I do not think there is anybody in this House who will suggest that, in the absence of some very special circumstances, I should not, as Minister for Education, endeavour to give these children an opportunity of being taught in the larger school.
I fully appreciate the Minister's point of view and it is with mixed feelings I make this appeal. However, he is on record as having stated that the wishes of the parents would be considered favourably. There are a number of parents in this small community who would like to retain the school for another four or five years and in view of the fact that the Minister's Department has given a fairly substantial grant for the upkeep of the school within the past 18 months, would he not listen to my appeal to allow the school to be kept open for, say, 12 or 18 months? I am sure the Minister would receive a lot of thanks from the local community for taking such action.
The Deputy asks that any representations made by parents in cases such as this would be considered, but they have been considered. The Deputy has referred also to the fact that some money was spent in fairly recent years in improving this school, and that is correct. However, the interests of the children are paramount and even if the money has been spent, rather than saying: "Let us get value out of what was done", our main concern is the future of the children who are in that school, and in their interests we have got to do this.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
I am convinced the parents concerned, when they see the advantages accruing to their children, will be very glad I made this decision.
I am in full agreement with the Minister but——
Has the Deputy a question to ask?
Yes. I should like to ask the Minister if he will not consider at this late hour allowing the parents of these children to have their school for another 12 months. Furthermore, in view of the fact that the Minister had a cheer from our Galway Deputy which he did not hear when he was speaking in Galway, I congratulate him for converting the Deputy.