asked the Minister for Education whether the Department maintains any statistics in respect of schools where disputes arise between parents and management or his Department in respect of school conditions; the number of disputes at present; and whether there has been any increase in the number of such disputes over recent years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Conditions Disputes.
32.
My Department does not maintain such statistics.
Is it the opinion of the Minister that there has been an increase in the number of such disputes in the last year or two relating to conditions of schools?
It is difficult to say because they have got much more publicity in the last year or two. In recent years we have had a very good record in relation to the number of primary schools that have been built.
I am sure the Minister will agree that publicity is good if bad conditions exist in schools. I am surprised that his Department evidently do not pay any attention to the increasing tendency of parents to complain and object to bad conditions for their children.
The Deputy is stating that more parents are complaining than formerly?
That is my impression.
That may be, but on the opposite end of the scale there is the fact that we are building far more schools than before and this is proof that we are concerned about the conditions of schools.