asked the Minister for Education whether she will consider the sanctioning of a medium-sized second-level vocational school for the Arbour Hill, Dublin 7 area, to be constructed on the site at present available and in corporation ownership there.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Vocational School.
10.
The City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee have not sought sanction from my Department for the provision of a vocational school in the Stoneybatter-Oxmantown area. In any event I am satisfied that there is sufficient post-primary accommodation, planned and in existence, in the general area to cater for pupils in the inner city, including those from the Stoneybatter-Oxmantown area.
Would the Minister be gracious enough to sympathetically consider any request which might be likely to be made by the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee for an educational facility in that area in view of the increasing residential accommodation being developed there? In view of the unique hardship which exists in the area, I ask her to look into the matter if and when such a request is made.
I assure the Deputy that we always look sympathetically on any request made, particularly in an area such as the one he mentions. It is necessary to point out that an important factor which we must bear in mind regarding post primary provision in the area is a continuing decline in primary school enrolments in the north inner city, from 11,500 in 1973 to just over 5,000 in 1983. The Deputy mentioned new housing in the area but that will, of course, have a much lower population than the older housing it replaces. However, having said that, I assure the Deputy that we will look with sympathy on any application made to us.