asked the Minister for Education why he has deferred his decision in relation to the proposals of the Roscommon Vocational Education Committee in connection with the alteration and extension of the vocational school in Ballaghaderreen, and if, in view of the serious overcrowding in the existing school and the fact that a bank is prepared to provide the necessary financial accommodation, he will issue sanction without further delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballaghaderreen Vocational School.
I have been unable to authorise County Roscommon Vocational Education Committee to proceed with their proposal to alter and extend the vocational school in Ballaghaderreen as it has not as yet been found possible to include it in the limited amount of building projects which vocational education committees generally can be permitted to undertake in present circumstances.
Is it not a fact that the vocational committee in County Roscommon have obtained a guarantee from the banks that a loan will be made available? In view of the fact that there would be no great burden on Government funds as a result of this, would the Minister explain why he saw fit not to give sanction in this instance?
As far as I can see, looking at next year's allocations, it appears, if county committees obtain loans through the banks, it will be necessary to reduce the amount available to the Local Loans Fund by that amount. Looking at the financial position at the moment, that is what I see. Therefore, in order to see that proper and necessary priorities in relation to vocational education extensions are kept, it is necessary to control the authorisations given to the various committees to proceed with any work.
In view of the fact that the vocational committee is a subsidiary body of the county council, that county councils all over Ireland were advised by the Government to make efforts to find money elsewhere than from Government funds for suitable projects, and that a subsidiary body of the county council has succeeded in obtaining the necessary finance, why does the Minister refuse sanction, seeing that the Government have already asked local authorities, if necessary, to get money from either the banks or insurance companies for other purposes?
I am endeavouring to control the amount of work that will be done in the extension of vocational schools in relation to the priorities that are desirable over the country as a whole. The amount of finance that will be available in one way or another for that, I understand, will be limited and, therefore, it is necessary for me at the present moment to control priorities and, therefore, to control permissions in this way. I have indicated that the expenditure on vocational schools during the current year is something over £500,000-£533,000 —about £232,000 more than last year, so that the question of expenditure on this case does not arise in this year.
But the banks are making the loan available; it is not from the State.
I cannot allow myself to be put in the position that, because the banks, from a particular pool of capital in the country, give money, I will be left in my other pocket without that particular amount of money for vocational schools.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I propose to raise the subject matter of this question on the Adjournment.
No. 14.
You allow petrol stations to go up and banks to support them. Why do you not allow the banks to put up schools?
Question No. 14.