Vol. 319 No. 8
asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the totally inadequate library facilities afforded to students in University College Cork, when the new library will be completed and the interim plans, if any, which exist to alleviate this problem.
22.
asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the appalling library facilities at University College, Cork and the estimated date for the completion of the new library now under construction.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
A new building to provide suitable library facilities at University College, Cork is under construction at present. The building is due to be completed in 1982. To alleviate the shortage of library accommodation on a short-term basis, the college has acquired properties on the perimeter of the campus and has moved some college facilities into those properties. The resultant vacant areas on the campus will be used for library purposes on a temporary basis. Restaurant areas and classrooms are also made available as study areas when not in use for their main purposes.
Could the Minister say when the contract was first given for this library?
I do not have that information. There were problems of which I am sure the Deputy is aware. As I stated in my reply, the library facilities will be available in 1982.
I know that the contract for this library was given over three years ago and at that time the contractor agreed to have the library completed in 1980.
What the Deputy says is true and we are pressing ahead as fast as we can so that the library may be finished and the facility available.
Is the Minister satisfied that the contractor's reasons for not completing the library are reasonable?
The question asks what arrangements are being made to deal with the situation and I have answered that. The right or wrong of the contractor's view is not a subject matter for discussion on this question.
The Minister will agree that the fact that the restaurant is being made available for students to study in is not a method of dealing with the completion of the new library, that is just facilitating the students but not facilitating the people using the restaurant.
The restaurant was only mentioned incidentally. Buildings have been acquired on the perimeter of the campus, some facilities were moved in there and space is being made available for the students until the library is finished in 1982.
When were these buildings acquired?
I have not any date for it.
They were not available to the students up to a month ago. They must have been acquired since then.
The words "has acquired" are in the reply and that is the information I have, that these properties have been acquired.
Is this as a result of agitation by the students for library facilities or is it something initiated by the Department to ensure that students had studying facilities?
As the Deputy knows, it is not a question for the Department but for the authorities in University College, Cork and the Higher Education Authority.
