asked the Minister for Education if the proposed new secondary school at Kilronan, County Galway, will accommodate 120 pupils at 9 sq.m. per pupil floor space.
2.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway School.
1.
asked the Minister for Education if his Department had agreed in May, 1976, that the floor space in the proposed Kilronan secondary school would be 9 sq.m. per pupil, and if any changes have been made since then.
3.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that pupils attending Kilronan secondary school are accommodated in a rented house which has broken windows, ineffective heating and a dangerous roof; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 2 and 3 together.
In September, 1976, the County Galway Vocational Education Committee agreed to a schedule of accommodation proposed by my Department for an extension to the secondary school at Kilronan. The schedule was based on a projected enrolment of 100 students at 9 sq. metres per student. No changes have been agreed since then. There will be sufficient spare capacity in the extended school to cater adequately for more than 120 students. Planning of the project is in hands and every effort will be made to have the work undertaken as soon as possible.
I understand that the condition of the existing school premises is receiving the attention of the vocational education committee.
Is the Minister aware of the great confusion that has arisen regarding this matter and is he aware of the original request based on the enrolments in the school and the agreement of the parents of Inis Thiar Inis Meán and Inis Mór to send their children to a new secondary school at Kilronan rather than to the mainland? Is he further aware that the enrolments showed that the new school would need to cater for 120 pupils by 1985 and the request was for a school to cater for that number of children——
That is a very long question.
Is the Minister aware that what he says about September, 1976, was forced on the County Galway Vocational Education Committee by the Department rather than have any further delay, but that——
I must dissuade the Deputy from making what is obviously a speech.
It is very difficulty to get the whole matter across——
I will afford the Deputy opportunity of putting pertinent and relevant questions, but he may not make a speech.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for the Gaeltacht. Deputy O'Donnell, attended a meeting of Comhdháil na nOiléan where this request was made to him and the case again explained regarding the need for a school to cater for 120 pupils, and that he and officials from his Department——
I must ask the Deputy to desist.
Is the Minister aware that he and officials of his Department——
Order. The Deputy has been on his feet some time making a speech. That is not in order.
That is not correct.
I have asked three questions and they have been taken together by the Minister. Could he take them separately and I could get this matter across to him?
I must ask the Deputy to desist.
From what?
From asking any further questions or making any further speeches.
I am sure the people of Kilronan would be delighted to hear that.
On a point of order, Deputy Molloy has been asking a coherent question and he has been interrupted by the Chair. I hold that it is very unfair of the Chair not to allow Deputy Molloy to ask a supplementary question on three questions being taken together, and I would appeal to the Chair——
That is not a point of order. I told the Deputy I would facilitate him in asking relevant questions. I sought to dissuade him from making a speech. These are the rules governing Question Time which the Chair is obliged to adhere to.
You are harassing the Deputy.
If I may say so in my own defence——
A question, Deputy Molloy.
The Chair agrees——
A question.
Is it true, a Cheann Comhairle, that you have agreed to take the three questions together?
I have, indeed.
Would you accept from me that your agreeing to do that places me in a very difficult position?
No. I would have allowed the Deputy a number of questions in the ordinary way, but he may not make a speech, as he has done.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for the Gaeltacht met people from the islands, Comhdáil na nOileán, and that an official of his Department rang back following that meeting to state that agreement had been given to the construction of a secondary school which would cater for 120 pupils, that the architect was then instructed to design an extension based on 9 square metres per pupil for 120 pupils; that the architect has done that work and that the Minister for the Gaeltacht has got publicity out of it, but that now——
This is not in order. The Deputy is imparting information rather than seeking it.
I am not aware that there is any confusion or that the Minister for the Gaeltacht had a meeting with anybody on the islands.
It was in every paper in the country.
The Deputy asked some questions. We should now listen to the reply.
He was very upset when he was interrupted himself, but he does not seem to see anything wrong with interrupting me. As I say, I am not aware that there is any confusion or that the Minister for the Gaeltacht met anybody from the islands. I have had representations in this matter from the Minister for the Gaeltacht.
As regards the suggestion that this was forced on the County Galway Vocational Education Committee by my Department, that is not true. It was agreed to by the VEC after discussions with my Department. The school being planned at the moment is catering for 120 students. There are nine square metres per student allocated in the school, which is 50 per cent more than is normally allocated in secondary schools. There is no question but that the school is quite adequate for 120 students.
Is the Minister aware that the architect, on the instructions of the County Galway Vocational Education Committee, proceeded to redesign the school to cater for 120 pupils based on nine square metres per pupil and that the plans, when forwarded to the Minister's Department, were turned down?
The architect would only have done that on the instructions of the VEC. The VEC would only have given him those instructions if it had been agreed with my Department, and it has not been agreed with my Department.
Is the Minister aware that an official of Roinn na Gaeltachta rang the VEC and told them it was being agreed to——
No.
And that they then instructed their architects to redesign the school according to their original request?
I am quite certain that no official of Roinn na Gaeltachta would take it upon himself to issue instructions on behalf of another Department.
Is the Minister doubting my word?
I doubt very much that a civil servant in one Department would give instructions to a body not under his Department to do something.
Question No. 4.
A Cheann Comhairle——
A final question.
As I cannot be here to raise this question on the Adjournment tonight, would you allow me to advise the Minister to have a look at a television programme called "An Pobal"——
A question, Deputy.
——which will be shown on television tonight and where the facts I am giving will also be given?
If the Deputy wishes to raise this matter on the Adjournment, I will be here to deal with it but, unfortunatey, I have some work to undertake tonight and will be unable to look at television.
Question No. 4.
One final question. In view of the questions and facts which I have put before the Minister here, could I ask him if he would reconsider this whole matter, in view of the confusion?
I do not think there is any confusion whatever, either on the part of the VEC or on my Department's part. This school has been designed to cater for 100 students at nine square metres per student, which is 50 per cent more per student than for any other secondary school in the country, and it is very adequate to cater for 120 students.
Question No. 4.
Question No. 3 was not replied to.
Is that so? I took it that Nos. 1, 2 and 3 were replied to.
It has been replied to.
I wish to protest——
Would Deputy Molloy please desist?
——that the students in Kilronan secondary school are attending classes in a rented building which has broken windows, ineffective heating, a dangerous roof——
It seems that the Deputy is being deliberately disorderly.
The Minister——
Deputy Molloy, please desist. The Deputy will resume his seat.
The Minister has not adequately answered the question.
I have called Question No. 4.
Somebody has to take a stand for the people on the islands.
Deputy Molloy is being disorderly. I have called Question No. 4.