Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Mar 1992

Vol. 416 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - Education and Gaeltacht Matters.

Mr. Finucane

I wish the Minister of State well in his new appointment. This is a serious issue which I have raised on a previous occasion. It relates to the Stella Maris Convent at Foynes which embraces Shanagolden and other immediate catchment areas. The Sisters of Mercy announced in 1991 that they had decided to withdraw their service from 1995. The school has 230 pupils. A formal proposal has been submitted to the County Limerick vocational education committee to acquire the premises of the Stella Maris School at Foynes and also to embrace the existing vocational education committee school at Shanagolden which has 50 pupils. The vocational education committee would like to have a community college including both schools but require the consent of the Department of Education.

It is essential that an early decision be made because parents are now considering where their children will attend in September next and they will have to know if the full five-year cycle will be available. I am aware that the Minister authorised an architect and an inspector to visit the school on Friday, 28 February and I am sure he has now received the reports. He will recognise that it represents excellent value for the Department of Education and that it is an ideal educational establishment. I call on the Minister to approve the finance for this community college which is in a growth area for industry.

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Mr. Aylward)

I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. He will be aware that the Mercy Order which manages the school in Foynes have made known their intention of withdrawing from management of the Stella Maris Secondary School at the end of the academic year in 1991. This school shares a catchment area with three other post-primary schools located in three different centres, namely Askeaton, Shanagolden and Pallaskenry. Accordingly the possibilities for rationalisation of post-primary facilities are currently being examined by the Department. A proposal has been submitted to the Department by the parents action committee in Foynes aimed at ensuring the continuance of the school under the aegis of County Limerick vocational education committee beyond 1995. Last week the Minister met a deputation representing the local action committee in Dáil Éireann and he undertook to have the school buildings assessed by the professional staff of the Department's building unit. They have now carried out the appropriate investigations and it is anticipated that their report will be submitted to the Minister for the end of this week. The Minister will not be in a position to assess fully the proposals on the future use of the Stella Maris School until he has had the opportunity of examining the report.

Mr. Noonan

(Limerick East): I thank the Minister for coming to the House and I wish him well in his new appointment. I want to raise the subject matter of Questions Nos. 149 and 150 of 19 February and particularly the reply I received to Question No. 150 which was totally inadequate. This concerns the School of Art and Design in Limerick which is one of the three constituent colleges of the Limerick School of Art, Commerce and Technology. The School of Art and Design accommodates 400 students in five locations dispersed through the city at a rental outlay of over £100,000 per annum. Apart from the cost involved, the task of administering a school over five different locations is extremely difficult and certainly not cost effective. The educational deficit from this arrangement is more pronounced. Student mobility and utilisation of resources are areas which suffer badly. Notwithstanding this and other problems, the School of Art and Design is one of the leading art institutions in the Republic.

I understand that a proposal has come from the representatives of the college asking that the possibility of a new college on the present main site, which was formerly St. Anne's Post-Primary School at George's Quay, together with houses between that and the former Barrington's Hospital and Barrington's Hospital itself, should be used for a new School of Art and Design. The facade of Barrington's the height of the ceilings in the old wards and the very large windows are very suitable in terms of lighting and space for studios for painting, fashion design and sculpture. Has an assessment been done of this proposal and will the Minister look on this favourably and give the go ahead?

Iit is vitally important that the School of Art and Design remain down town in the city of Limerick. The exigencies of an artistic education require a city location and I would strongly advise the Minister against re-siting the school in the suburbs on the proposed site for the Schools of Engineering, Building and Business which are being built on one campus. Please keep the College of Art and Design in the city and look favourably on the proposal before the Department.

Mr. Aylward

The background is that the Department have agreed to the development of the Limerick College of Art, Commerce and Technology. As a consequence the Department requested the City of Limerick vocational education committee for a feasibility study on the viability of having the entire School of Art and Design on the Georges Quay site. The Department had also agreed to the preparation by the vocational education committee of a development control plan for Moylish.

The present position in relation to the feasibility study of the Georges Quay site is that the Department will be in communication very shortly with the vocational education committee regarding the suitability and viability of the site for the entire School of Art and Design.

With regard to the development control plan for Moylish, a design team comprising a firm of architects, structural engineers, service engineer and quantity surveyors has been appointed by the City of Limerick vocational education committee in relation to the planning Phase 1 A extension which would be assisted by the European Regional Development Fund. The fee arrangement for the design team is under consideration by the vocational education committee. It is intended to have a contractor on site by August 1992.

Mr. J. Higgins

Over 10,000 students fail ordinary level mathematics each year in the leaving certificate. Because there are three levels of mathematics in the new junior certificate, the former Minister for Education, Deputy O'Rourke, ordered that a new ordinary alternative leaving certificate mathematics course be drawn up. The Department of Education circular to schools in 1990 states that the course "will be equal in standard to ordinary level leaving certificate mathematics." I have had the course evaluated by mathematics teachers and by objective analysts.

The course is without question, at least equivalent in standard to the existing ordinary level leaving certificate maths with an acceptable and highly commendable different orientation. Thousands of students were encouraged to embark on the course on the basis of underwritten departmental guarantees. Lo and behold, the nine RTC colleges and the six Dublin Dublin Institute of Technology colleges have refused point blank to accept the new mathematics course for entry to over 90 per cent of their courses. Indeed, of the 210 courses, approximately, provided by these colleges, all require mathematics except 14 of the art related area. The whole thing is a shambles and it is up to the Minister to intervene. Children's livelihoods are at stake. Courses for which they have opted on the basis of the bona fides of his predecessor's assurance: are now closed off from them for spurious reasons.

I do not accept the Minister's published position that it is up the the Dublin Institute of Technology and RTC colleges to decide on their own subject requirement. I do not accept that the Minister must remain a hapless bystander while an injustice is done to thousands of students. There is a hidden agenda here and I put it to the Minister that it is up to him to get to the root of it.

The Minister for Education instructed that this new mathematics course be set up. It is a good course, it has a high standard, it is highly practical and perhaps more relevant than some of the elitist conceptual mathematics of some of the other courses. I would ask the Minister to stand by the students who stood by his predecessor's assurances and who are now the victims of some interest squabble. The Minister for Education is the education overseer. More importantly, he is the paymaster and has ultimate power. I am now asking him to get the to the bottom of this problem, to get the various parties around the table immediately and to resolve the problem once and for all.

Mr. Aylward

The minimum entry requirements for individual courses into the RTC and Dublin Institute of Technology is a matter for the colleges concerned and the validating agency. The Minister does not, therefore, have a direct function in that matter. In line, however, with the general objective to standardise and streamline entry requirements the Minister is taking up with the institutions any anomalies arising between the institutions regarding entry requirements.

The development of the alternative mathematics syllabus was in the context consideration of how best to cater at senior cycle for low achieving pupils who sat the intermediate certificate mathematics examination in 1990. It was not intended that the syllabus would normally provide a basis for entry to third level.

The present position with regard to the alternative syllabus is that it is accepted for matriculation purposes or as satisfying the minimum entry requirement for admission to courses as appropriate. It does not, however, satisfy the entry requirement for courses where mathematics is specifid as an essential subject for a particular course. For this reason, the circular sent to the schools in 1990 announcing this new option advised pupils who intended to take the option and who intended to proceed to third level study, after the leaving certificate, to check the status of the syllabus in relation to admission to the institution of their choice and to the courses available therein.

An Ceann Comhairle

We will now hear a two minute statement from Deputy Durkan.

Mr. Durkan

I am grateful to you for affording me the opportunity to raise the matter of accommodation at Confey College, Leixlip. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the Minister of State to his new portfolio and to wish him well. I hope that this evening he is the bearer of good tidings.

Confey College in Leixlip caters for 402 students at present and only 25 per cent of that total are accommodated in permanent classroom accommodation. Since 1987, when the school was first started, most of the students have been accommodated in temporary or prefabricated structures. The school, while much sought after and much appreciated in principle, has now come to a crucial crossroads where it is most important that the Minister and his Department make a decision, the effect of which will be the provision of permanent classrooms in the current year, or at least a large proportion of them. If that is not done the present crop of students will have gone through their entire second level education in prefabricated structures.

In the present situation it is impossible to observe ordinary safety at work fire regulations or to carry out a proper fire drill in the cramped conditions that exist in the courtyard. Access is gained through a building site which is not the best but it is not the fault of the Department or the Minister. There are areas in which the Minister can assist: for example, he can assist the parents, teachers and students who have valiantly tried to maintain the very high standards which they have had over the years. It is now the Minister's turn to respond positively and provide permanent classroom accommodation which is absolutely necessary if those children are to have the standard of education which we want for all our young people in order to give them a reasonable chance when they leave school.

Mr. Aylward

I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. At the rate I am going every Deputy should have finished congratulating me in a few weeks as I am in the House very often.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Minister of State is very popular.

Mr. Aylward

Thank you. In drafting a reply I was unsure as to whether the Deputy was referring to the permanent accommodation currently being planned for Confey College or to some additional requirements.

Mr. Durkan

Accommodation curently being planned.

Mr. Aylward

However, I will respond to both matters. In the case of the planned permanent building, the Deputy will be aware that planning by County Kildare Vocational Education Committee's design team of the extension to replace existing temporary accommodation at Confey College is nearing completion. The provision of this new permanent accommodation will be the solution to the long term accommodation problems at this school.

Pending the construction of this new accommodation the school has been housed in temporary classrooms and a small permanent block of classrooms. In regard to the planned accommodation, I should point out, both to the Deputy and the House, that every step has been taken to ensure that no undue delay has occurred recently in the planning of these facilities. Indeed, in this context my Department authorised the vocational education committee to allow their design team to combine some stages of planning in order to speed up the planning process while still maintaining the very necessary high standards of design and cost control.

As a result of this commitment, the planning of the facilities is, as I have said, nearing completion although it is not yet possible to say when construction will commence. However, every effort will be made with the resources available to include the project among those for which tenders may be sought in 1992. My Department are not aware of the need for additional accommodation in excess of that currently being planned. However, the Department would be prepared to consider any proposals from the vocational education committee regarding any short term measures required to meet the school's immediate needs. This issue can be adddresed should the school authorities and County Kildare Vocational Education Committee approach the Department.

Mr. McGinley

Tá an mhonarcha smailcbhia seo i mbun táirgíochta ar an eastát tionscail i nGaoth Dobhair le 15 bliana. I láthair na huaire tá thart faoi 80 ag obair ansin, idir fhir is mhná. Is é an t-amhábhar a úsáidtear ná prátaí, atá á bhfás go fairsing ar fud Chontae Dhún na nGall, agus, mar sin, d'fhéadfá a rá gur tionscal é seo atá bunaithe ar cheann de mhóracmhainní nádúrtha an chontae. Tá an mhonarcha á glacadh anonn faoi láthair ag comhlacht agus bainistíocht úr. I ndiaidh an méid a tharla i dTelectron na Farraige Móire coicís ó shin tá imní agus eagla ar na hoibrithe faoi cad é atá i ndán dóibh faoin réimeas úr.

Tá scéalta agus ráflaí ag déanamh a mbealaigh tríd an phobal, go bhféadfadh scaifte mór bheith ag dul chun bóthair. Dá dtarlódh a leithéid sin bheadh sé ina bhuille crua d'fhostaíocht sa cheantar Ghaeltachta sin, idir na Rosáin agus Chloch Cheann Fhaola. Tá sé ríthábhachtach nach ligfí dá leithéid seo teacht aniar aduaidh orainn nuair a chímid cad a tharla ó Chill Chártha go dtí na Crosbhealaí le bliain anuas, nó i dTelectron cúpla seachtain ó shin. Is é ceann de phríomhdhualgais Údarás na Gaeltachta ná cinnte a dhéanamh de go dtabharfar tús áite do chosaint fostaíochta in aon socrú a dhéantar. Tá seirbhís fhada dhílis tugtha ag na hoibrithe le blianta anuas don tionscal seo. Caithfimid a chinntiú anois go mbeidh aitheantas le fáil ag an dílseacht sin. Tá mé ag iarraidh anocht ar an Údarás, ar Aire na Gaeltachta agus ar achan uile dhream atá páirteach sa mhargaíocht cinnte a dhéanamh de nach mbeidh laghdú fostaíochta ar bith sa tionscal seo ach go rachaidh sé ó neart go neart sa tréimhse amach romhainn.

Aire Stáit ag Roinn na Gaeltachta (Mr. Gallagher)

Tá an comhlacht seo ag feidhmiú i gceantar Ghaoth Dobhair ó 1975 ar aghaidh agus tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an fhostaíocht leanúnach a cuireadh ar fáil sa tionscal ó shin i leith. Tá Smailcbhia (Dun na nGall) Teo. tábhachtach do Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall ar dhá chúis. Sa chéad dul síos tá fostaíocht maith curtha ar fáil aige d'fhir agus do mhná an cheantair thar na blianta. Sa dara áit tá an comhlacht ag ceannach prátaí ó fheirmeoirí an chontae ar bhonn rialta, rud atá thar a bheith tábhachtach don chontae go ginearálta.

Cé go raibh deacrachtaí trádála áirithe ann ó am go chéile, lean an comhlacht ar aghaidh agus tá áit bainte amach aige sa mhargadh. Tá tréaniarrachtaí déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta thar na blianta chun an fhostaíocht sa ghnó a chaomhnú agus leanfar leis na hiarrachtaí sin.

Tuigtear ó Údarás na Gaeltachta go bhfuil cainteanna ar siúl le tamall anuas idir úinéirí an chomhlachta agus grúpa eile maidir leis an gcomhlacht a cheannach. Tá sé curtha in iúl do cheardchumann na n-oibrithe go mbeidh sé riachtanach an fhoireann oibre a laghdú ach go fóill ní raibh aon phlé sonrach faoin gceist. Is cúis dhiomá dom go bhfuiltear ag smaoineamh ar an bhfoireann a laghdú. Beidh an tÚdarás i gcomhairle leis an gcomhlacht agus leis na húinéirí nua chun iarracht a dhéanamh nach gcaillfí poist nó ar a laghad le cinntiú go gcoimeádfar líon na bpost a gcaillfear chomh híseal agus is féidir.

Níl aon amhras ach go mbeidh deiseanna gnó ann do chomhlachtaí fiúntacha sa ghnó bia. Tá sé de bhuntáiste ag Smailcbhia (Dún na nGall) Teo. go bhfuil táirgí maithe aige, le branda atá aitheanta sa mhargadh agus le soláthar bunábháir ar fáil sa chontae. Ba mhaith liom gealltanas a thabhairt go ndéanfaidh mé féin agus Aire na Gaeltachta i gcomhar le Údarás na Gaeltachta agus an ardbhaínistíocht ansin ár ndícheall ionas nach mbeidh laghdú ar bith ar an fhoireann ansin. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil siad a rá go mb'fhéidir go dtarlódh sé, ach an t-aon ghealltanas gur féidir linne a thabhairt ná go mbeimid i dteagmháil go rialta leis an Údarás agus go mbeidh siadsan i dteagmháil leis an chomhlacht atá ann i láthar na huaire agus, ar ndóigh, leis an chomhlacht atá le teacht ina dhiaidh sin. Déanfaimid ár seacht ndícheall chun a chinntiú nach mbeidh daoine ag cailliúint a gcuid post.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.35 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 5 March 1992.