asked the Minister for Education if he will outline plans for new secondary school facilities in Salthill, Galway.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway School Facilities.
17.
Mr. R. Burke
No definite plans have yet been formulated, but my Department are maintaining close contact with the local planning and school authorities and will ensure that school places will be available when required.
Is the Minister aware of the conditions existing in the Salerno girls secondary school in Salthill, that many of the rooms are in a very bad condition to put it mildly, that some of the floors are suspect, that the nuns in charge of the school are not completely satisfied that the building is a safe place in which to have pupils and that generally it should be admitted that it is a dangerous building?
This is a long question.
Is the Minister aware of the frustration of the parents and the school authorities in the area at the long delay being caused by the Department in arriving at a decision regarding the construction of a new school, its location and its type?
Mr. R. Burke
I am aware that the prefabricated accommodation is of poor quality.
The main building is dangerous.
Mr. R. Burke
The facts are that there are two girls schools which could serve this area and which have surplus accommodation, the Dominican Convent at Taylor's Hill and the Presentation Convent at Eglinton Canal Road on the west side of Galway city. Until we come to an overall decision in regard to this, I do not see why we should have to provide extra surplus school places when we already have schools which could take the pupils of the area.
If it is the Minister's attitude that there are surplus places available in girls secondary schools in Galway, why was this information not conveyed to a deputation which attended at his Department some months ago? Why were the members of that deputation given the impression that the Department favoured the construction of a new secondary school in the grounds of St. Enda's college?
Mr. R. Burke
The Deputy is now widening the question. I am referring to two schools on the western side of Galway, more particularly in the area in which this convent is situated. The overall requirements of Galway city will come into play when the question of Coláiste Éinde comes up.
The question relates to Salthill.
This must be the Deputy's final and brief supplementary.
One of the schools referred to is not anywhere near the Salthill area. The Minister has his brief all mixed up.
Mr. R. Burke
I have not. Would the Deputy not agree that there is surplus accommodation in Taylor's Hill? I would have thought that was in Salthill.
Taylor's Hill can be deemed to be in the Salthill area but not the other one the Minister mentioned.
Mr. R. Burke
But there is surplus accommodation in that convent and, since that convent is in Salthill, there is surplus accommodation in Salthill.
Is the Minister saying there is no possibility of a new secondary school being constructed in the Salthill area to replace the dangerous Salerno secondary school building? How can the Minister suggest that it is satisfactory that a dangerous building should be occupied for educational purposes? The overspill from the main building is being accommodated in what the Minister himself deemed an unsatisfactory prefabricated building. There is a grave dereliction on the Minister's part in the form of the answer he has given today.
We are having speeches now rather than supplementaries.
Mr. R. Burke
There is no dereliction of duty. All the matters in Galway city are under constant consideration and when the time comes to provide new permanent structures that will be done.