asked the Minister for Education if in the context of deciding on the location of the proposed NIHE any study of the education, social and economical implications of the proposed location in Ballymun has been undertaken and if other locations were studied or examined with a view to their educational and other suitability; if it is possible at this stage that sites apart from the site presently proposed in or near the north city of Dublin might be considered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Location of NIHE.
11.
I assume the Deputy had in mind the NIHE College, Dublin. There seems to have been an omission.
We all know Ballymun is in Dublin.
I would look for direction from the Deputy who tabled the question, because it does not refer to a college in Ballymun or anywhere else. It refers to NIHE, Dublin. As NIHE, Dublin is already located in Dublin city centre, I would ask the Deputy who tabled the question what he had in mind.
The Minister is insulting Members.
Is the Minister correct in not answering the question? It is explicit enough. He knows what I am talking about and I am surprised that he should take this line. I am asking about the location of the proposed institute acting under the aegis of the NIHE, Dublin. The question refers to the proposed location in Ballymun and that is the central point.
It does not refer at all to the proposed location in Ballymun.
I refer the Minister to the question.
The question refers to the education, social and economical implications of the proposed location in Ballymun. The Minister should not try to mislead the House.
The question states: Mr. Keating asked the Minister for Education if in the context of deciding on the location of the proposed NIHE——
Let the Minister go on and read the words which he said were not there.
——any study of the education, social and economical implications of the proposed location in Ballymun has been——
Which the Minister said was not referred to in the question.
As yet we have not reached the word "institute" or "college".
The Minister is being smart.
It was in deference to the pin-pricking which has been taking place that I referred to this and I have answered the question assuming that was what Deputy Keating had in mind.
All relevant considerations relating to the location of the proposed NIHE, Dublin, were fully examined by my Department before a final decision was taken that the Ballymun site was the most suitable and appropriate site available for the particular purpose within the city environs.
The Minister said all reasonable considerations were taken into account. Did that take the form of a study of the implications specifically referred to in the question?
I am at a loss to know what the Deputy has in mind in respect of social studies in Ballymun. I think he is aware that the City of Dublin VEC, who first mooted the location of such an institute, were the first to suggest Ballymun as being a suitable location. Subsequently, when I enjoyed membership of that committee, and now, as Minister of State, I would be happy to endorse the Ballymun site as being the most suitable site available.
I am sure the Minister has good reasons for that. Is it possible that any other site could be considered at this stage? I ask that question because the proposed site is a relatively small one and may be encroached upon soon by other bodies who want a piece of that site. Was a specific study made in relation to the decision on the site and is it available to anyone who is interested in it? By that I mean a reasonably detailed document which relates to the educational implications of the location of the site because of its relationship to other third-level colleges in the city. The social implications of the siting of it could be numerous and I can enumerate them for the Minister if he wants me to.
I should like to hear one of them.
The problem of getting from the south side to the north side.
What about the problem of getting from the north side to the south side? Site everything on the south side and forget about Ballymun and the working class areas.
Order.
Has a study of the nature outlined been undertaken and is it available?
Whether it is available to the Deputy in the concise form which he would wish, I am not in a position to say. I know that every possible site was looked at—the old Grangegorman site, the site on the Navan road, sites in the centre of the city. In the final analysis, Ballymun was regarded as the most suitable site for the location of this institute.
Is there a document outlining the educational, social and economic implications of the siting of NIHE Dublin in Ballymun and is it available?
There is not a specific document. If the Deputy would be patient I should ask the Department if consideration of the matters which took place could be included in some correspondence to him. It would be wrong of me to say that there is a specific document.