asked the Minister for Education if a reply will be issued to repeated requests by Kildare VEC that his Department should indicate its approach to the problem of extensions to Athy Vocational School, County Kildare; and if he will ensure that letters from Kildare VEC will be answered promptly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Kildare Vocational Schools.
29.
Mr. R. Burke
It is anticipated that a decision on an extension to Athy Vocational School may be given shortly. Problems in relation to the site and the question of the overall provision for second-level education in the area have to be resolved in connection with the decision.
It is, of course, the policy of my Department to reply to all correspondence as promptly as possible.
Is the Minister aware that the whole future of vocational education in the Athy area has been awaiting decision by the Department for six years, and is he aware that while it may be the policy of his Department to reply promptly to correspondence, the suggestion of 10th February from Kildare Vocational Education Committee, which was followed by a letter indicating the urgency of the matter at the next meeting in April, has yet to be replied to by his Department? Does he not think it is now time for something definite to be done for vocational education in Athy? We have asked for information to allow us to expand and it is not forthcoming, and——
This is a long question, Deputy.
We have asked that every level of education in Athy be decided and it has yet to be decided. It is high time——
I am afraid the Deputy may not embark upon a speech.
When you wait until February you are entitled to say something and is it not high time something was done?
Mr. R. Burke
The case which the Deputy alleges goes back six or seven years and I think the Deputy will acknowledge, if he wants to be complete in his exposition of the case, that I personally received a deputation in January of this year. We put certain options before Kildare Vocational Education Committee and I think the matter would be greatly speeded up if Kildare Vocational Education Committee would take one or other of these options and let us get on with it.
Could the Minister indicate what the options are? Is he now trying to transfer the blame to Kildare Vocational Education Committee for any hold up?
Mr. R. Burke
No, I am not.
Why has the Department not written a reply for the past three months?
Mr. R. Burke
The position is that I am not blaming anybody. I am saying that we put options to Kildare Vocational Education Committee and if they would indicate which they are going to accept, it might help the matter.
30.
asked the Minister for Education if he will sanction the building of a boundary wall around the new vocational school site at Droichead Nua, County Kildare.
Mr. R. Burke
The vocational education committee is being informed that the boundary wall as requested may be provided.