asked the Minister for Education if he has received a request from County Galway Vocational Education Committee to sanction the appointment of a music instructor for St. Michael's Town Military Band, Ballinasloe; and, if so, if he will agree to the request.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Music Instructor.
46.
Mr. Kitt
Mr. R. Burke
I have received a request from County Galway Vocational Education Committee to sanction the appointment of a music instructor for St. Michael's Town Military Band, Ballinasloe. It would not be open to the committee under the Vocational Education Acts, however, to provide the services of a vocational teacher, as they proposed, for use by a musical band which is not under the committee's control and is not a specifically educational concern. Accordingly, I regret that I cannot sanction the proposal.
Mr. Kitt
In view of the cultural value of music as a subject and remembering that a local band is a very important amenity in a town like this — if the Minister were visiting on some special occasion they might bring out the band to greet him—and further, in view of the fact that it is the unanimous wish of the County Galway Vocational Education Committee, of which I am chairman, to provide this facility, would the Minister not agree—he has two members from that town on the committee, one on his side——
I want to help the Deputy, but he must not make a speech.
Mr. Kitt
Would the Minister not agree to reconsider this matter? We have agreed to provide the services of a teacher. This is a very important amenity and I would ask the Minister to reconsider his decision. If he does not, we will just go on sending this up.
Mr. R. Burke
I will bear the Deputy's points in mind but, as I have already said, we seem to be tied by the terms of the Vocational Education Acts from providing moneys for the provision of something that is not essentially an educational service.