asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the growing difficulty which parents in Dublin are experiencing in obtaining places for their children in secondary and vocational schools because of lack of accommodation; and what steps will be taken to remedy this situation without delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin School Accommodation.
42.
The provision of vocational school accommodation is a matter in the first instance for the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee and my power is one of sanction only. I am satisfied that the committee is fully aware of its responsibilities in the matter.
As secondary schools are privately-owned institutions, the initiative in the matter of providing such additional accommodation in these schools as may be required rests with the school managers.
However, I have established an advisory council representative of all the interests concerned to consider the problem of providing adequate accommodation for post-primary pupils in the greater Dublin area. The first meeting of this council was held today.
Arising out of the Minister's reply and the statement today that the Minister is now aware of the acute need in Dublin for additional accommodation, can he say what hope he can hold out this year for the many children who will be refused admission to secondary and vocational schools because of lack of accommodation? What steps can he hope to take, between now and the autumn, to provide accommodation and teachers for these children?
I cannot make any definite commitments in regard to secondary schools which are privately-owned institutions. Last year, I made arrangements with the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee to ensure that no child who wanted to gain entry to the vocational schools would be debarred. I am making similar arrangements this year. I am not aware of any case where, last year, a child who wanted to gain admission to a vocational school was rejected.
The Minister will appreciate that an increasing number are anxious to go right through to leaving certificate and, mainly due to causes outside their control, the private interests in secondary schools are unable to provide the accommodation. What initiative will the Minister now take to ensure that ample places are available in secondary schools in Dublin?
The Deputy will be aware—indeed, he has a question which will come up later—of the steps taken to assist secondary schools to expand their accommodation. As from next September, any child may attend a vocational school and do the intermediate certificate and the leaving certificate. As far as I can ensure it, no child in Dublin who wishes to do this will be kept out next September.
There are large numbers of people in county Dublin, that is, suburban Dublin, who cannot gain admission to any vocational school and who have no hope of doing so. The nearest vocational school rejects about 200 or 300 applicants every year.
I do not know what efforts the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee have made.
They have made many efforts.
I have found, in dealing with a number of these committees, that they think in terms of huge buildings costing large amounts of money which cannot be built for quite a number of years even if the money is there now. They should think in terms of providing the accommodation in prefabricated structures or in any way they can. Many of the Committees do not yet seem to have got round to thinking in those terms. The provision of accommodation is the problem not the building of monuments.
The Minister has not helped us to get a loan.
I have not prevented them from getting a loan.
You have.
The Deputy is referring to a legal difficulty in regard to the acquisition of that site.