Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Dec 1968

Vol. 237 No. 15

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo School Rolls.

51.

asked the Minister for Education the anticipated number on rolls in the secondary school at Ballycastle, County Mayo in September 1969; the similar number on rolls at the vocational schools at Lacken Cross; the number of rooms in the Lacken Cross school; and the number of pupils each such room can hold.

The numbers on rolls in these two schools at present are: Ballycastle Secondary School, 124; Lacken Cross Vocational School, 116. I am not in a position at this stage to state what the enrolment next September is likely to be.

There are seven rooms in Lacken Cross vocational school and the school could, without further extension, cater for 150 pupils.

The position in relation to both schools at present is that neither side can provide the full range of subjects.

The Minister is aware that things have reached a certain stage of negotiation? He was kind enough to forward me some information in this regard which I asked for in the course of the Estimate. But there have yet to be two aspects of this considered—one by the Mayo Vocational Educational Committee and the other by the parents in the area. I am in touch with the parents. The parents of the Ballycastle area are strongly opposed to their school being shifted from there to Lacken Cross—and I am with them. I want to know now from the Minister if it is proposed to carry out this shifting of the school from Ballycastle to Lacken Cross in September, 1969.

The whole matter is under discussion with a view to providing the educational facilities in the area appropriate to the needs of the children there.

Is discussion continuing with a view to the provision of a school at Lacken Cross only and the shifting of the pupils from Ballycastle to there?

Not on that basis but on the basis of providing the system of post-primary education that is appropriate to the needs of the children in the area without any particular decision having been reached with regard to a particular location.

Nobody can appreciate more than I do the general disarming nature of that reply. Is the Minister and his Department working towards the closing of the convent school at Ballycastle?

Oh, no, indeed. We have been having very detailed discussions with the nuns concerned with regard to the whole future requirements of the area.

If the Minister does not mind, so am I. However, I am also having discussions with the parents of the area. When will the Minister, or somebody representing him, have a discussion with the parents?

We shall organise that.

When will it be— before Christmas?

Christmas being Christmas time, all I can say is that it will be very shortly.

Before or after?

I shall not say when. I can assure the Deputy that no decision of any kind will be reached in that intervening period and that there will be organised a full meeting of the parents, clerical interests, educationists and everybody concerned.

Will it be within a month? Will it be before the middle of January?

Will the Minister further guarantee that any lull that may be apparent in the state of affairs existing vis-à-vis Ballycastle and Lacken Cross is not a lull designed to get this Government over the next General Election?

That does not arise —not on educational matters.

Top
Share