andMr. Governey asked the Minister for Education if he will consider having the new College of Art sited in Kilkenny in close proximity to the design workshops.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - New College of Art.
71.
The Deputies will appreciate that design is only one branch of art. They will also appreciate that it is essential that a college catering for various branches of art at a high level should be situated close to galleries, museums and other institutions of third level education. In that case Dublin is the only centre in which a National College of Art could operate fully.
This is intended to be a college of art and industrial design. Does the Minister intend to close the Kilkenny Design Centre? Would he not agree that the suggestion in the question would be a first step towards decentralisation? He could acquire land for a proposed building of this type at a much more reasonable cost in Kilkenny than in the Ballsbridge area?
I must concern myself mainly with the training facilities available to students of art.
Before the Minister took this decision did he consider at all having it sited in Kilkenny?
For the reasons mentioned here it would be true to say that I did not.