asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in providing an extension at Carrick vocational school, County Donegal; and when work is likely to commence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Vocational School.
37.
An extension to Carrick vocational school has been approved in principle. Acceptable building proposals have not yet been submitted by the Vocational Education Committee.
It is not possible at this stage to say when work will commence.
Am I right in saying that plans were submitted two years ago to the Department and were sanctioned by the Department?
My information is that suitable plans have not yet been submitted. It is possible that plans were submitted but that these were not regarded as being suitable.
Is the Minister aware that a statement made by Deputy Delap and published in the Donegal Democrat in the past week or so contradicts what the Minister is now saying?
I am not aware of the statement.
Is the Minister aware that enrolment at present is 227 pupils and that the headmaster's room, the main entrance hall, the local dance hall and all other available facilities in the locality are being used? There is a great demand in the area for this school and local rumour has it that the reason why it is not being provided is that the Department are not providing the money.
If all the Deputy says is true, it would be an excellent idea if the Vocational Education Committee would submit the proposals to my Department.
Would the Minister guarantee that the delay is not in his Department?
What I am saying is that acceptable building proposals have not yet been submitted by the Vocational Education Committee.
Will the Minister say that if suitable plans are submitted, they will not be held up by the Department?
The matter would then be considered.
In other words, there is no money.
We have money but we also have a priority list.
Could the Minister say what the word "acceptable" means in that context?
Question No. 38.
I have already answered about eight supplementaries on the Deputy's question.
The Minister did not give me any answer at all.
I only asked one supplementary and it was to ask the Minister if he could say what is meant by the word "acceptable"?
Acceptable.
This is the type of lip service that the Minister pays to the people of West Donegal.
I am rather amused by the Deputies opposite who when leaving office left an Estimate for Education for approximately £15 million, and cut the grant for both vocational and secondary schools——
(Interruptions.)
——while, at the present time, our estimate for education is approximately £84 million and yet there is talk from the Opposition of a shortage of money.
There is a shortage now and the Minister should admit it.
A tribute to the inflationary policy of the present Government.
I have called Question No. 38.
The Minister has given figures for expenditure on education for last year and he has gone back as far as 1956-57. Would he care now to give us the increase in taxation and in money borrowed during that period?
That is a separate question.
If the Deputy is suggesting that we should not impose taxation or borrow money for the purpose of education, that is his business.
Money is not a problem when guns are being sought.