asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the imminent closure of Tubbercurry vocational school, County Sligo due to Government cutbacks in vocational education funding and the consequent inability of Sligo Vocational Education Committee to pay the necessary teachers, particularly part-time teachers; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that this vocational school serves a catchment area where emigration figures in the fifties and at present are among the worst in the country; that the school has an excellent record in both academic and practical subjects; and if, in view of these circumstances, she will reverse here recent decision to turn down the application of Sligo Vocational Education Committee for the extra funding to keep the school.
Written Answers. - Tubbercurry Vocational School.
The allocations of teaching staff in the second level VEC sector are made on a committee-wide basis and not in respect of individual schools.
The initial allocation of teaching staff in respect of full-time day courses for the current school session (1988-89) was issued by my Department to County Sligo VEC on 14 July 1988. Since that date following consideration of a number of appeals, the Committee's teacher allocation has been increased by 6.3 wholetime teacher equivalents.
The deployment of its teaching resources and the organisation of its educational programme are matters to be determined by the committee itself within the parameters of the authorised allocation.
Following the issue of the final teacher allocation by my Department on 25 October 1988, the committee submitted a further appeal on the basis of staff shortages in certain subject areas. It was not possible to authorise a further increase in the allocation in that regard as concessions had already been made under the various headings decided by the Government arising out of the deliberations of the Central Review Committee of the Programme for National Recovery.
I understand that the teacher allocation position was discussed by the committee at its meeting on 3 February 1989. Arising out of this meeting and following a request from the committee I have now arranged for officials from my Department to meet a deputation from the County Sligo VEC to discuss their difficulties on Thursday 16 February 1989.