asked the Minister for Education if the necessary plans and specifications have yet been prepared for Crossmolina girls' national school; and, if so, when tenders for the erection of the school will be invited.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Crossmolina School.
46.
The final stage in the preparation by the Commissioners of Public Works of working drawings and specifications for the proposed scheme of improvements at Crossmolina girls' national school has been reached. The other arrangements preparatory to the invitation of tenders including seeking of local authority sanction to plans and providing copies of working drawings and specification will take some further time. I am not, therefore, in a position at this stage to give an approximate date as to when tenders will be invited. Every effort is being made to expedite matters.
Is the Minister aware that the Reverend Manager reached agreement with his Department as far back as 1957 and that the Office of Public Works informed the Reverend Manager that they would be ready in July of this year and ready to advertise for tenders in September of this year? Further, is the Minister aware of the serious condition of this school at Crossmolina and, in particular, of the most appalling conditions of the toilet arrangements there, so much so that there is grave danger of the parents taking action that would be unnecessary, if there were expedition in this case?
The scheme includes provision for the toilet arrangements, which are unsatisfactory. The implication in the last part of the Deputy's mischievous question in relation to action by parents——
The Minister for Education cannot accuse me of being mischievous.
I did not say the Deputy was mischievous but rather his question. He may not have intended that his question would cause mischief.
I shall have to include the Minister with all the others.
Action by parents cannot expedite these works. As I said already, we have a very large scheme of school building and school improvements in hands. It depends on an orderly carrying out of the works of the Departments concerned. Action by parents in any particular case is often and attempt to get a position out of the queue, or order of priority. It can lead only to delays by taking up the time of my staff and, I am sure, the staff in the Office of Public Works. That is why I thought the question might be mischievous.
I should like to have it on record that I do not approve of action by parents, in this or in any other kind of matter, of a mischievous nature, or any attempt to jump the queue, but what I am suggesting to the Minister is that the position in this case is so bad that he should possibly do something himself in order to get the Office of Public Works to get on with it.