asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the insufficient library space in the regional technical college, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, County Cork; and the steps which are envisaged by her Department to create sufficient library space to accommodate the 3,000 students at present.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork RTC Library Falicities.
11.
The question of the provision of additional library facilities in Cork RTC has been the subject of correspondence and discussions between my Department, the college authorities and the City of Cork VEC. Resolution of the matter is subject to agreement between the parties involved as to utilisation of accommodation generally in the college in the context of present and projected enrolments and course programmes.
Last Monday week I was very pleased to visit Cork RTC at their invitation and noted that I was the second Minister to visit that college since it was set up. I spent many hours there and visited the offices, the lecture halls, the theatres and the library in question. I am up to date on the present position but I am not in a position to indicate yet with any degree of certainty when the matter will be finalised because the question of accommodation in the college has already been dealt with in my Department and further progress in this area will be subject to the constraints on capital resources.
I am very glad the Minister has visited the RTC and seen the situation at first hand. When will she be in a position to tell us exactly when the problem will be resolved? Can she say at this stage if adequate library space will be provided for the start of the next academic year?
I am not in a position to say anything like that. I said the provision of additional library facilities in Cork RTC was the subject of correspondence and discussions between my Department, the college authorities and the City of Cork VEC. Resolution of the matter is subject to agreement between the parties involved. As I said, I accepted the invitation from Cork RTC because their pressing problems had been brought to my attention by many Deputies. It is very helpful, as the Deputy knows, to see the situation at first hand, and this I have done. When I am able to proceed further, we will discuss the matter again.