asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the dispute in Wexford Christian Brothers School between his Department and the ASTI since early this year; the number of days the pupils have been out of school and the hours involved; if he will intervene; and if the necessary moneys will be made available to resolve the dispute.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wexford School Dispute.
11.
There is no dispute between the Department of Education and the ASTI in connection with the Christian Brothers School, Wexford.
There is a dispute between the authorities of the school and the ASTI but I do not consider that it would be helpful towards a solution of the problem if I were to make observations in relation to it at this stage.
The Minister has not answered the part of this question which refers to the number of days the pupils have been out of this school, nor has he answered the final part of the question. I understand this question involves money. Are the Department prepared to provide the necessary money so that the pupils in this school, who have been out for three days per week since Christmas or shortly after Christmas, can resume their studies? Now that the summer holidays are coming, do the Department think they will get away with avoiding a decision?
I do not think the Deputy was listening to the answer to the question. I am sure he is acting in the best interests of his constituents, but I would advise him that what he is doing now may not be helpful to the resolution of this dispute.
I am not accepting this as an answer. Part of the question I asked has not been answered. I am interested in the parents and their school-going children in the CBS in Wexford, and I want to know what the Department are going to do about it.
The dispute, as I said, is not between the Department and the ASTI but between the authorities of the school and the ASTI. As regards the money there is a very complicated method of assigning money to secondary schools, but it is assigned to Wexford secondary school on exactly the same basis as to all other schools in the country. It is the division of that money that is in dispute. On the other part of the Deputy's question, the school was closed for four days. My Department would not have information on the number of hours being worked by the teachers except that they are working to rule, but the manager has been signing to the effect that they have been working the required quota of hours.
A final question.
This money is payable for special functions within the school, and I understand the same situation has arisen in Tralee. What does the Department intend to do about it? If nothing is done there will be a total school strike at the end of this summer. Is it because we are coming up to a holiday period that the Department are going to sit back and do nothing about it?
I must again advise the Deputy that he is fishing in very muddy waters. The Deputy, through no fault of his own, could not be in full possession of the facts to debate this in the House.
I am not prepared to accept——
Order.
This is a very serious matter.
I have given the Deputy a lot of latitude. I had hoped to get on to another question. I would now call Deputy Seán Browne for a final question.
Is the Minister seriously telling this House that this dispute is not between the secondary teachers in Wexford and his Department, in view of the fact that we have had a number of conferences in his Department in this connection? Secondly, is the Minister aware that at the present time and for a number of weeks past all pupils in the secondary school up to intermediate certificate classes have been getting only 40 per cent of their usual hours in education there? Thirdly, is the Minister aware that all the interests in Wexford town, including the management of the school, the teachers concerned and the parents, have met and discussed this problem, have teased it out, and are all satisfied that the solution to the problem lies in the Minister's Department?
No. I think the Deputy is wrong in that. I do not think either of the parties to the dispute would claim it is a dispute with the Department of Education. I am aware that the early post-primary classes are only getting about 40 per cent tuition. It is the principal's decision that where he has them available only for a limited period he should concentrate on the exam classes. As regards the discussions which, he says, took place in my Department, of course the Department have an interest in this but the dispute is not with my Department. There was a meeting of the conciliation board at which certain matters were discussed which were not directly related to the dispute in question but would have a bearing on the solution of the dispute. One was held a fortnight ago and the second will be held tomorrow.
Would the Minister say this is a test case in so far as the total secondary education in Christian Brothers' schools is concerned and what will the Minister do about it because it is just not good enough?
Order. I am calling the next question.
I would not know whether what the Deputy says is correct or not.
The Minister would not know?
Of course not. If the Deputy thinks over what he said he will realise I could not know.