Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 3

Written Answers. - Knocklyon (Dublin) Post Primary School Needs.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

74 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education the reason she did not keep her agreement of 17 February 1994, to consult with Knocklyon post-primary committee and local public representatives before accepting the Bannon report on post primary school needs in the Knocklyon area of Dublin 14; her views on whether her commitment was to allow the committee to negotiate any imbalance in conjunction with local TDs; her further views on whether, on 13 October 1994, she renewed her commitment to meet with the Dáil Deputies for the area and the chairman of the post-primary committee; if she will now honour her commitments; if she will defer signing any contracts for secondary school extensions as a result of her acceptance of the Bannon report pending the promised meeting; her views on whether the proposals which she endorsed are unworkable because of significant local parental opposition, particularly in relation to the proposed regional post-primary campus at Sancta Maria/Coláiste Éanna; the improvements suggested for Coláiste Éanna and Templeogue College which were in train before the Bannon report had been commissioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3546/95]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 27, 30 and 36 of 13 October 1994 in which I stated, inter alia, that Dr. Bannon himself carried out the fullest consultation with all interested parties, including the Knocklyon-Ballyboden post primary committee, before arriving at his conclusions and recommendations and that I arranged that copies of Dr. Bannon's report were sent to Deputies and to the post-primary committee before publication.

I also stated in my reply that I would arrange to meet the Dáil Deputies for the area and the chairman of the post primary committee and I intend to honour that commitment on a date convenient for all parties. I am, however, at present completing a series of meetings with the educational partners following which I will be in a position to resume my normal schedule of meetings.

I do not accept that the implementation of the recommendations in Dr. Bannon's report will prove unworkable and, accordingly, the deferral of any projects proposed for the schools in question would not be warranted.

Prior to the publication of Dr. Bannon's report a project was being planned to provide permanent accommodation at Coláiste Éanna to replace unsatisfactory prefabricated classrooms. A decision on an application for extra accommodation from Templeogue College was deferred pending publication of Dr. Bannon's report.