asked the Minister for Education the estimated number of pupils for which the proposed comprehensive school at Millstreet, County Cork, is planned to cater; and the proposed catchment area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork School.
46.
It is proposed to establish a community school in Millstreet to cater for 400 pupils. The school will serve the same catchment area as that served at present by the three post-primary schools in Millstreet.
Did I hear the Parliamentary Secretary say that the comprehensive school would cater for——
It is a community school. You try to degrade every effort that is made.
What is the pupil population?
Four hundred pupils.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there is great demand from the public that this community school should go ahead and that there is great resentment that in the past few weeks there have been two Dáil questions referring to it as a comprehensive school? Could I now get a guarantee from the Parliamentary Secretary that there will be no delay regarding the acquisition of land and the preparation of a plan for this community school?
I can assure the Deputy that is the intention. I can also confirm that what he said is true, that the request has in fact come from the locality itself.
Could I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether the use of the word "degrade" about comprehensive schools represents official Fianna Fáil policy?
There appears to be some confusion on the part of the Fine Gael spokesmen as to the distinction between community and comprehensive schools.
(Interruptions.)
Is the term "comprehensive schools" derogatory?
No, but it is distinct from community schools, as the Deputy should be aware.
(Interruptions.)