andMr. Wilson asked the Minister for Education if he will give immediate sanction for the building of a community school in Muinebheag, County Carlow on a proposed site of 10 to 12 acres, as the site at the existing vocational school proposed by his Department is too small.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Carlow School.
34.
Mr. R. Burke
Building the proposed new community school in Muinebheag on a site other than that of the existing vocational school would involve the abandonment of a school building provided in 1964 and subsequently extended. The increased expenditure which this would cause would not be warranted and the further complications which would arise would delay the project unnecessarily. The open space adjoining the vocational school is considered adequate to accommodate the proposed new building. A further 6 acres nearby has been acquired to provide playing pitches.
Would the Minister say what consultation between his Department and local interests has taken place?
Mr. R. Burke
Officials of my Department, to my knowledge, have been down to see various interests on a number of occasions.
Did the officials report to the Minister that the management of the nuns' school, the management of the brothers' school, and the management of the vocational school are all agreed that where the Minister intends to build a school is unsuitable and that there is a suitable 12-acre site nearby available for the building of this school?
Mr. R. Burke
In reply to Deputy Wilson, this, indeed, may be so but the next question is: can I, as Minister for Education, preside over the abolition of £150,000 worth of vocational school building, erected in 1964, in order to move to a new site?
£75,000.
Mr. R. Burke
£150,000.
Is the Minister aware that in connection with the proposals for the building of this community school in Muinebheag feelings are running very high among the parents, teachers and all concerned, all of whom are agreed that this site is not suitable? Is the Minister also aware that by building this community school as an extension to the present vocational school he will be depriving the children of Páirc Mhuire in Muinebheag of the playing space which has been available to them over the years?
This is a long question, Deputy.
Is the Minister further aware that if this community school is built as an extension to the present vocational school there will be no room left for further extension in future years? Is the Minister aware also——
Let us not have a debate on this matter.
(Interruptions.)
Order. The Deputy is entitled to ask questions. He is not entitled to make a speech.
Whatever Deputy Governey omits, I am going to put in.
That is a matter for the Chair.
Is the Minister aware also that both the teachers and parents agree that this is not a suitable site?
The Deputy has already mentioned that matter.
Is the Minister aware that there is another site available in the town which would be suitable also?
Mr. R. Burke
I am aware of the points raised by Deputy Governey but I wish the interests involved would advert to the question of the cost of replacing £150,000 worth of vocational school buildings.
£75,000
Mr. R. Burke
In fact, Deputies will realise that I bent over backwards to suggest that consultations might take place with other State agencies with a view to the purchase of this building but they did not come to anything. Also it should be adverted to so that the Department of Education will make available in an area not too far away from Muinebheag substantial playing pitches which would compensate them for the loss of the 4½ acres near the school.
Two points: first of all, is the Minister aware that the 2.4 acres adjacent to the school do not belong to the Department of Education? Secondly, will the Minister say under whose authority six acres, part of which is a bog, were purchased quite recently in Muinebheag in connection with this?
Mr. R. Burke
The suggestion by Deputy Wilson that there were 2.4 acres does not tally with my information, which is that the total area of this site is 4½ acres.
On a point of information, the site occupied at present by the vocational school, plus the open space now available to the children in this built-up area, amounts to what the Minister said but only the part on which the school is built actually belongs to the educational authority.
Mr. R. Burke
I am afraid that is the only position on which we can build a community school. I would appeal to the people of Muinebheag not to delay further the provision of a community school in this area by putting unnecessary obstacles in the way of its provision. It is as simple as that.
Question No. 35.
Is the Minister aware that the management——
I must pass on from this question, Deputies.
This is almost a unique position in Ireland. Is the Minister aware that the management of the three schools, the development organisations in Muinebheag itself, all the teachers' organisations, on educational grounds, are totally unanimous that the school should go on the other site and that the site is available?
Mr. R. Burke
I am aware that practically everybody who adverts to this question refuses to look at the position of the present vocational school and to say what they would do about its replacement cost——
And the Minister's Department added to the cost by buying six acres of bad land a few weeks ago.
Next question, No. 35, please.
Mr. R. Burke
May I be permitted to say that there is no proposal before the Department to build a community school on a new site?
Is the Minister aware——
Deputies, we cannot debate this issue here today. We cannot debate the matter today.
Is the Minister aware that there is only a six-feet entrance through a built-up area to this new field of bogland which was bought by the Department in Muinebheag without consultation with anybody? Is the Minister aware that those six acres were bought by an officer of the Department without consultation with anybody in the town, and where everybody is unanimous on this particular business of the community school?
Mr. R. Burke
In reply to the Deputy——
Might I ask one final supplementary?
The Chair is anxious to get on to some other question.
I notice the Minister has expressed concern in regard to the cost of the present building and how he should be reimbursed in regard to it. Knowing that the money for the provision of this community school is coming from the World Bank, what is the deadline for the decision? Might I ask him further if at this late stage he would be prepared either to come to Muinebheag and meet a deputation there, view the site, or otherwise meet a deputation in Dublin before a final decision is taken?
Mr. R. Burke
If I thought reception of a deputation would finalise the matter and enable us to build a community school in Muinebheag, I would be prepared to accept a deputation and Deputy Governey can arrange such deputation. In reply to Deputy Wilson's supplementary question, the Department of Education bought the six acres with a view to expediting provision of the community school in the area.
On whose authority?
Mr. R. Burke
On the authority of the Department. I am trying to provide a community school.
I am calling Question No. 35.
Is the Minister aware that the site is not near the existing vocational school, that the passage to this field is between a built-up area with an entrance of less than six feet?
The Deputy got a good innings on this question. He should be fair to the Chair.
Perhaps I might be allowed to express my personal satisfaction that so many communities throughout the country are now looking for community schools.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of a series of replies, I wish to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.