asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that French is no longer available as a subject to the lower classes in Cavan vocational school, having regard to her stance whereby no child shall be denied a continental language; and considering the importance of having such a language with the advent of 1992, the action she will take to ensure the immediate restoration of this subject to the said classes.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Teaching of French.
11.
The organisation of the curriculum in an individual vocational school is a matter for the vocational education committee who have the statutory responsibility in this area. My Department notified the County Cavan VEC of their allocation of teaching staff for the 1988-89 session in July last. The VEC appealed that allocation on the basis of shortages for certain subjects including French. Following consideration of the appeal my Department have recently notified the County Cavan VEC of a revised teacher allocation. The utilisation of the authorised allocation and the revised authorised teacher allocation is as always, a matter for the VEC.
I welcome the latter part of the Minister's reply but I regret that it took so long for this information to reach the relevant authority. At present the lower grade classes cannot avail of French in Cavan Vocational School, although the Minister stated that all children throughout the country would be allowed to avail of continental languages. She saw this as the road along which we should be travelling.
The Deputy has not asked a supplementary question.
Can I take it for certain that French as a subject will be available to the lower grade classes in Cavan Vocational School?
I have given the answer and I regret that in the rí rá at the beginning of my reply the Deputy might not have heard what I said. The organisation of the curriculum in a vocational school is a matter for the vocational education committee who have the statutory responsibility in the area. I referred to the authorised allocation and the further allocation which was made on foot of an appeal from County Cavan VEC. That further allocation was based on the perceived shortages for certain subjects, including French. The utilisation of the further allocation they have received is a matter for County Cavan VEC. The Deputy may not have been aware that they had received the revised allocation. They got it quite recently.
Cavan Vocational School would not have been to blame if the subject had not been available in the first instance, due to the cutbacks imposed on them.
I hesitate to interrupt the Deputy but he must know the procedure at Question Time.
I do not have the responsibility for so doing. It is up to County Cavan VEC.
What proportion of a French teacher's time will be available to the school? Will it be similar to the situation in Ballumun Comprehensive School which has nine-tenths of a French teacher's time?
The question relates specifically to Cavan Vocational School. The Deputy is not in order.
Will the Minister answer the question?
I have ruled it out of order. The Deputy is extending the scope of the question. Please resume your seat; likewise, Deputy Birmingham.
On a point of order, I wish to put a supplementary question.
It is not in order.
You cannot know if it is in order before I put it. This is absurd.