asked the Minister for Education if he will reconsider his decision not to allow Palmerstown Community Council the use of one of the prefabricated classrooms attached to Palmerstown National Schools, County Dublin; and if he will accede to the council's request to meet him in this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Palmerstown (Dublin) Schools.
36.
The use of national schools for purposes other than school purposes is subject to certain general conditions, including the consent of the school manager and also, of the trustees, in the case of vested schools.
The attention of the reverend manager of Palmerstown schools has been drawn to these conditions and he has been requested to communicate his decision in the matter to the Community Council.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary care to comment on the latter part of Deputy Walsh's question which implies that a request to the Minister to meet the council on the matter was refused?
I understand that at the moment the matter is between the school manager and the council. By contact between these two parties a speedy resolution of the problem may be arrived at. If it appears that this cannot be obtained, and if the Department are in a position to do anything, a request for a meeting with officials of the Department will be considered.
With officials? I take it that the Minister has received a request from the council?
I am not in a position to say whether the Minister will or will not receive them.
I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary whether the Minister has received a request and, if so, if he has considered the request.
Permission was refused by the Minister.
I do not think there was much point in having a meeting because problems had to be resolved in relation to the use of the school. If the community council wished to use it on a 24-hour basis the Department would be precluded by the regulations from agreeing to its use in that situation. On the other hand if, as is now proposed in the letter sent by the Department to the school manager, the school is used after hours, I do not anticipate that there will be any difficulty. In many ways the matter is an open and shut one and not much purpose would be served by a meeting. If the present approaches do not lead to a resolution of this problem, I will be glad to see what can be done about having a meeting arranged.
I take it that if the Minister has not got the time or the inclination, the Parliamentary Secretary would be disposed to meet the council?
I said whatever arrangements could be made for a meeting.
A meeting? Not in the august presence of the Minister.
The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to do anything about it.
The Parliamentary Secretary has a responsibility. He is answering questions for the Minister. Surely he is entitled to say whether he can comply with a simple request.
I attached a copy of the letter and the reply to the question when it was submitted.
Was it in Irish?
That is probably what happened.
It is terrible to be using these Russian languages.