asked the Minister for Labour if he will establish an AnCO residential training centre in the former industrial school buildings at Letterfrack, County Galway; and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - AnCO Training Centre.
12.
I understand AnCO are satisfied that the permanent training centre in Galway, supplemented as necessary by temporary centres elsewhere in the region, is sufficient to meet requirements for training places in the Galway region. In these circumstances it is not proposed to establish a residential centre in Letterfrack.
I appreciate that the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs is answering for the Minister for Labour but I can take it from the information he was given that this is the final word on this proposal? Will there be any change in the decision?
The training needs of each region are kept constantly under review by AnCO in collaboration with the national manpower service and the Industrial Development Authority. Clearly, any matter which may seem to be required by developments in the given area could involve a new decision. But that is the decision as it stands at the present time.
Is the Minister aware of the great difficulty in attracting industrial employment into this region in Connemara? Is he also aware that it had been given as the considered opinion of persons involved working through the IDA and other agencies that the establishment of a residential training centre in the building at Letterfrack, which is becoming vacant because of the change in the industrial school set-up, would have been very suitable? This would have presented——
The Deputy is making a statement rather than asking a supplementary question.
——an opportunity to enable young persons in the area to be trained in industrial skills and thus attract industry into this area which has had these difficulties because of its geographical location.
Both AnCO and the Minister are very conscious of the problems of the region. I am informed that the Galway training centre which caters for the western region as a whole has a capacity of 200 places. It is planned to expand that capacity to 250 by 1976-77. It is considered that the western region is adequately catered for by the Galway centre backed up by temporary centres established in the region as required, for example, the temporary centre at Ballina. It is proposed to set up temporary training centres in the western region at Tuam, Loughrea, Ballinasloe, Clifden and Achill in the period up to the end of November. Letterfrack does not appear on that list.