asked the Minister for Education if she will intervene in the sale of Carysfort College, County Dublin, to ensure that this important facility is retained in educational use; and the response she will give to the request from Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee that Carysfort becomes a new Dún Laoghaire Regional Technical College.
Written Answers. - Carysfort (County Dublin) College.
68.
I have been making efforts to try to ensure that Carysfort College would continue to be used for educational purposes. In the light of the recent decision by the Mercy Order to offer the entire property for sale on the open market I will have to consider what options are now open to me in relation to the continued use of the premises for educational purposes.
69.
asked the Minister for Education the total current value of all buildings, facilities and equipment at Carysfort College; County Dublin which were provided from State funds.
While the State capital investment in the college was £2,428,360.20 and while ongoing grants to the college towards running costs would have included an element for books and equipment, etc., it would not be appropriate for my Department, at this stage, to set a current value on its investment. However, the position is being examined in the light of the recent decision by the sisters to sell the premises.
70.
asked the Minister for Education the efforts made by her Department, since the decision to close Carysfort College, County Dublin, as a college of education, to identify alternative educational uses for the college; and the proposals which were discussed between her Department and the college authorities.
In April 1986, a working group was established with terms of reference which included making firm proposals to the Government regarding the future role of Carysfort College as a third level institution. This group had discussions with the authorities of the Mercy Order and reported in February 1987. The principal thrust of the proposals in the report was that the partnership between the Minister for Education and the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy for the use of the college premises should continue and that the facilities should be used for the operation of appropriate courses under the aegis of University College, Dublin, with the secondment of Carysfort staff to serve in UCD, in other colleges of education, in other third level colleges, in schools and educational agaencies. These proposals were discussed with the authorities of the Mercy Order in March 1987.
At that time the Mercy Order presented its own proposals for the future use of the college, which included initial and in-service training of primary and post-primary teachers, degree-diploma courses in various areas in the humanities as well as adult and continuing education. Discussions were held with the order on these proposals. Discussions also took place on proposals by the Department of a number of options for the future use of the premises with varying degrees of involvement of the Mercy Order.
In March 1988 a working group was established to consider the possibility of establishing a national college of music and dramatic arts on the Carysfort campus. The then President of the College, Sr. Regina, together with a representative of the Mercy Order, served on the working group.
Discussions have also been held with the authorities of the Mercy Order on the possible use of the premises for third-level educational purposes approved by the State. These discussions were ongoing when the property was offered for sale on the open market.
71.
asked the Minister for Education if the Sisters of Mercy informed her Department of their intention to sell off Carysfort College, County Dublin; and, if so, when this information was conveyed.
The authorities of the Mercy Order did not specifically inform my Department of their intention to advertise the Carysfort property for sale.