asked the Minister for Education whether he has received representations in regard to his proposal to close the following national schools in County Monaghan: (1) Drumgarley, (2) Kileevan, (3) Brownhill and (4) Dartry; whether he is aware that the parents of the children attending these schools strenuously object to the schools being closed; and whether he can reassure them that their views will be fully considered before any final decision is taken on these matters.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Monaghan Schools.
39.
I have received representations in regard to the proposals to close these schools and I am arranging that members of the inspectorate will discuss the matters in question with representatives of the parents. All these schools are one-teacher schools and it seems clear that the educational interests of the children attending them would best be served by providing for them in larger schools to which they would be brought by transport services.
Is the Minister aware of the situation with which we are dealing? In regard to Kileevan and Dartry, I think, there are 23 pupils attending each of these schools. All strongly object to their being closed. Is he further aware that these are the only two Protestant schools in the pilot area set up by the Minister for Agriculture and does he think it desirable, having set up a pilot area to demonstrate how a rural area should best be developed socially, that the first thing we should do is to close the only two Protestant schools, leaving all the Catholic schools open? Will the Minister realise that in the very special circumstances obtaining in Monaghan, of which his colleague, the Minister for Transport and Power, should have some knowledge, we have always protected very vigorously what our Protestant neighbours regard as a fundamental right; securing the consent of the parents to any arrangement in respect of any one of the four schools in question?
I am aware of the situation in this area, and my knowledge of the area has been considerably added to by representations made by the Minister for Transport and Power.
They do not seem to have had much effect.
The representations so made have been considerably more helpful than those made by Deputy Dillon who says he is in favour of this policy and yet when it affects an area in his own constituency is capable of suggesting—by implication, if not more strongly—that this is being done because these are Protestant schools. I want to repudiate that most strenuously. This policy applies to all schools. Furthermore, the co-operation being obtained from the authorities of the Protestant schools is such as to leave me in no doubt that what we are doing is in the best interests of their children and of the members of their particular churches.
I never made any concealment of the fact—and I now reiterate it—that I agree with the general principle adumbrated by the Minister in regard to these schools but there are special circumstances obtaining in Monaghan. It is not good enough to say that the ecclesiastical authorities controlling these schools want this or that. It is the parents who matter. I am asking the Minister to go beyond the ecclesiastical authorities and ask the parents. If the Minister for Transport and Power has told the Minister what he thinks the ecclesiastical authorities want or do not want, he can take a running jump at himself. He represents the people and that is what I am talking about. The people on whose behalf I am speaking vote for the Minister for Transport and Power. I get no votes from them.
The Deputy knows very well that I did not say the Minister for Transport and Power was representing to me the views of the Protestant Church authorities. They are very well capable of doing that themselves and have done so. The Minister was representing the views of his constituents and I have said in the answer I gave to the Deputy, to which he does not appear to have paid much attention, that members of the inspectorate of my Department will be meeting the parents and discussing this matter with them.
They have not met them yet.
On the one hand, the Deputy says he agrees with this policy and on the other hand putting it at its best, he seems to have doubts about it when applied to his own constituency. He would be much more helpful if he concentrated on trying to convince the people of the area of the benefits involved in it for their children.
There was not any benefit in closing the Kileevan school.
The inspectors of my Department will also endeavour to do that, but the Deputy cannot hope to go on having it both ways very much longer.
Mr. O'Malley
Could we not send a telegram to the Pope?
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 40.
If someone told the Minister for Health that he looks like Bob Hope, that does not entitle him to clown like Bob Hope.
(Cavan): The Minister said he was sending members of the inspectorate to the parents of the children at the Kileevan school——
I have called Question No. 40.
I am not satisfied with the Minister's reply and I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
I shall communicate with the Deputy.