asked the Minister for Education if he will state the contents of his Department's recent circular to the vocational education committees concerning school building projects.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vocational School Building.
30.
The Deputy is presumably referring to a letter sent on 25th October to vocational education committees advising them that, at recent levels of drawings from the Local Loans Fund, the provision for vocational schools in the current public capital programme was likely to be exhausted soon. The committees were asked to confine capital expenditure between now and the end of March next to minimum essentials and not to undertake fresh capital commitments. Committees were also asked to consult with their treasurers as to the position regarding short-term financing arrangements by way of overdraft should the question arise in an individual case.
Can the Minister say whether this circular contained the extraordinary directive to vocational committees that they were not to pay their lawful debts unless they were forced to pay them? Is this true?
I do not know what the Deputy is referring to.
I am referring to what was contained in the circular. Is it the new policy of the Department of Education not to pay lawful debts?
The Deputy is well aware of the amount of money being made available by this Government towards the provision of education.
Is there anything to that effect in the circular?
It says:
Between now and the end of the financial year capital expenditure on vocational schools will have to be confined to what can be described as minimum essentials. This would include payment on foot of contractual obligations where the creditor is entitled to and actually does insist on immediate payment.
He must insist on payment in order to get it?
How are we in that position when there is £20 million being provided for capital purposes? How, with £20 million, are we in the position where public authorities cannot pay their debts unless people insist?
The Deputy is aware of the manner in which this £20 million was allocated. Basically it was for the provision of more employment for our people and this is as it should be. A certain amount of the money was allocated towards the building of primary schools.
Is it not extraordinary for the Department responsible for the education of children to adopt the attitude that lawful debts should not be paid unless payment is insisted upon?
Has the Deputy any idea of the expansion of the educational facilities being made in recent times and the cost of them?
Question No. 31.