Dick Spring
Question:10 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Education if she will outline her plans for the merging of the School of Music in Cork with the Crawford College of Art, Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Amalgamation of Colleges.
The Deputy will be aware that I intend very shortly to bring legislation before the House to statutorily establish the regional technical colleges. This legislation will retain the colleges within the vocational education committee structure but will give them the responsibility and authority to manage their own day to day affairs.
Under the terms of this legislation it is proposed that the School of Music and the Crawford College of Art will become part of the Cork Regional Technical College.
This proposal will ensure that the valuable activities of the School of Music and the College of Art will share fully in the advantages which I have no doubt will accrue from the provisions of the legislation.
The amalgamations envisaged would not involve a change in location but rather a multi-campus RTC.
Can the Minister assure the House that when the proposed amalgamation takes place under the aegis of the regional technical college, this will not be used as a backdoor method to reduce funding? Will the overall funding to both institutions be maintained?
I am sure that matter will be fully attended to. Each institution in its own way is providing a very valuable service. The amalgamation seeks to bring the benefits which will accrue from the legislation to the two institutions.
Does the Minister not acknowledge that the three schools of music in Dublin, Limerick and Cork which have a student complement of 6,500 are literally bursting at the seams, which is a good thing? Would she not agree that there are compelling educational, cultural and economic reasons for the development of a fully fledged college of music in the west, perhaps as an adjunct to the RTC?
Deputy Higgins, this question refers specifically to schools or colleges in Cork city. I cannot permit an extension of it into the west of Ireland.
I am making the point that Cork College of Music is literally bursting at the seams and I am asking therefore that the overflow, many of whom are from the west, would be accommodated in a college of music in the west.
The Deputy is very good at circumventing the ruling of the Chair. The Minister may reply if she so desires.
I accept your ruling that the question from Deputy Spring referred to the institutions in Cork.
Absolutely.
I accept what Deputy Higgins has said, that obviously there is a case for further colleges.
Is the Minister giving a categorical assurance that on the merging of the School of Music, Cork, with the Crawford College of Art there will be no reduction in the provision either in the music area or in the art area and that no barrier will be placed on the extension of these activities in the new situation?
How can I talk about working out the new arrangements when the legislation has not even been introduced? I would not anticipate that there would be any diminution in the excellent work being carried on in those institutions or in the range of courses offered.