asked the Minister for Education if, having regard to the urgent need to provide accommodation in the Dublin area to replace Artane industrial school in order to facilitate visits by parents to the boys, he will have such provided without delay even if premises are to be temporarily used for the purpose pending more permanent provision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Replacement of Artane School.
94.
Pending the report of the Committee on Reformatory and Industrial Schools, which is expected in October, I do not propose to establish in the Dublin area, a school of similar type to Artane.
It is quite possible that the Committee on Reformatory and Industrial Schools will recommend major changes in the present system.
Will the Minister not have regard to the fact that at present some parents do not see their children for literally months on end, because they cannot afford either the money or the time to travel long distances to places like Letterfrack and that in some cases, even where the school authorities consider it would be beneficial for the parents to visit the children it is now physically and financially impossible for many parents to do so? Would the Minister not, on that account, have some special temporary measures taken to see that more accommodation is provided in the areas from which most of these children are drawn, that is in the urban areas?
I think it would be unreasonable to expect me to make accommodation available, seeing that I am expecting this report so soon and that it is quite possible that recommendations may be made which would not be in conformity with what the Deputy is seeking.
I am prepared to wager that they will recommend provision of accommodation here in Dublin.