asked the Minister for Education if he will state when it is intended to sanction the building of vocational schools at Castleblayney and Carrickmacross.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Building of Vocational Schools.
Because of the many matters operating to restrict building at the present time, the amount of capital expenditure which I may authorise for school buildings is very limited. Building arrears in the case of national schools are very great. Within the limitations imposed on me, I have had, therefore, to give first priority to cases of national schools where all the arrangements, including the acceptance of tenders, are complete. I am fully aware of how disappointing the situation is for members of those vocational education committees whose plans for comparatively pressing needs have been long prepared but long held up.
I am taking every possible step to have the situation fully explored and constantly kept under review so as to eliminate in every possible way obstacles and delays. To this end the officers of the Department of Education have had many conferences with those of the Departments of Industry and Commerce, Finance, Local Government, and the Commissioners of Public Works. The Minister for Industry and Commerce and I have attended the most important of these conferences. We have not yet fully completed our examination. I hope to know better where I stand in two or three weeks' time. In the meantime, the proposals regarding the schools for Castleblayney and Carrickmacross, especially those for Castleblayney, are being kept constantly in mind. While I say that I hope to know better where I stand in this general matter in a couple of weeks' time, I do not expect to be in a position to discuss in any conclusive way the giving of a decision regarding these two schools for three or four months. I shall do it at the earliest possible moment.