asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the shortage of town planners and the recommendation of An Foras Forbartha, he will consider the setting up of a scheme for the training of an adequate number of persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Town Planners.
80.
My Department has been in communication with the Higher Education Authority regarding the need for developing further the School of Town Planning at University College, Dublin, and has recently been informed by that body that a full-time director of the school has now been appointed, that the college have advertised two additional posts of full-time lectureships which are expected to be filled before the opening of the 1973-74 academic year and that works to extend and improve the school's facilities at Earlsfort Terrace are being carried out. The steps taken are fully in accord with the recommendations in the Foras Forbartha report published last month.
I may also mention that An Foras Forbartha gives a number of scholarships of substantial value to planning students and has encouraged other bodies and firms to provide such scholarships also.
Can the Minister tell me how many students are studying town planning at the moment?
I have not got that figure.
Is the Minister aware that many years ago, shortly after the Planning Act was passed, efforts were then made, not just with one institution but with three institutions, for the training of students? Quite candidly, we did not trust any one with this assignment because of the urgency and the importance of the matter. What has happened the other two institutions? Why is this now confined to one and why so little progress over the years? God knows, they have had enough time to do something about it.
What happened in the College of Technology was that the course collapsed when the full-time lecturer took up another appointment in UCD. It was found impossible to get a substitute. At the moment the position is that two additional full-time lectureships have been advertised. The post of full-time director of the planning school has been filled and these two lectureships should be filled before the opening of the 1973-74 academic year as it is now somewhat easier to get these people.