asked the Minister for Finance if his Department authorised the manager of Loughduff national school, County Cavan, in a letter dated 24th September, 1969, to have suitable sanitary facilities provided in that school after consultation with the district architect of the Office of Public Works; and, if so, why the work has not been carried out.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cavan School Sanitation.
37.
As I said in reply to a previous question on the 17th June I am advised that the existing sanitary facilities at Loughduff national school are in a reasonably satisfactory condition and as the school is to be replaced by a new central school at Mullaghoran expenditure on the provision of new facilities would not be justified. Working drawings for the new building at Mullaghoran have been completed and bills of quantities are being prepared at present. It is hoped to invite tenders within the next couple of months.
I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for answering a question I did not ask. Would the Parliamentary Secretary mind answering the question I did ask, which was if his Department authorised the manager of Loughduff national school in a letter dated 24th September, 1969, to have suitable sanitary facilities provided in that school after consultation with the district architect of the Office of Public Works? Would the Parliamentary Secretary now say whether or not the manager or the architect was responsible for not carrying out the work? That is all I want to know.
The Office of Public Works gave sanction and the Minister for Education gave sanction to the manager who carried out the works himself.
The works were not carried out. Could the Parliamentary Secretary say if, in fact, the manager was responsible for not carrying out the works?
The manager has said that the toilet facilities available at this school are now satisfactory and this view has been concurred with by the engineer.
He may be talking about the factory. The facilities in the factory may be all right, but they are not all right for the children attending the school. There seems to be a great deal of misunderstanding particularly among the Parliamentary Secretary's own party in the area. Would he say whether the manager refused to do what he was authorised to do or was someone else responsible?
Yes, he did the work he was authorised to do.
OK. That clears him anyway.