asked the Minister for Education if he will report on the pilot centres which have been established to provide an educational service based on the National Library, the National Gallery and the National Museum; the part played by each of these institutions in the pilot scheme; and the number of centres envisaged for the service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Educational Pilot Centres.
28.
In connection with the development of an educational service based on the institutions of science and art—the National Museum, the National Library and the National Gallery—educational/ exhibition centres are being set up in Castlebar and Trim on a pilot basis, with the co-operation of the Mayo and Meath Vocational Education Committees. Under this scheme a local education officer has been recruited by each of these VECs and seconded to this service under the auspices of the institutions of science and art. Premises have been acquired by County Meath VEC for the Trim centre and work on the adaptation of these premises will begin very shortly. Premises are also being acquired for the Castlebar centre. The object of the service is to promote a wider interest in the national collections. Information concerning the collections in the three institutions already mentioned and in the Public Record Office will be provided through these centres and exhibitions will be mounted displaying material—original or in facsimile—from these institutions. The local officers who have been recruited for this service are engaged in the work of planning and preparation for the centres and in arranging for groups to visit the institutions of science and art.
Supervision and co-ordination of the service is being carried out by a committee of representatives of the institutions concerned and of the Department's inspectorial staff.
Since, as I have already mentioned, the centres in Castlebar and Trim are being set up on a pilot basis, I intend that a decision on the establishment of other centres of this kind be deferred until these two centres have been in full operation for some period when the matter will be considered in the light of the experience of these two.
Are the officers recruited paid directly by the Department of Education or are they being paid by local VEC?
I understand there are two types of persons involved in this. There is the education officer who has been appointed to the institutions themselves, the gallery and the museum. Then there are the employees of the VEC, or the people who are in fact paid by the VEC. In both cases it could be said that they are paid by the Department, in one case directly and in the other, indirectly.
Is the person referred to in the Trim venture the same person who has been appointed as an adult education officer as well, or is it a different man?
In Clonmel?
In Trim. Is the man appointed in Trim for this particular task the same man who also has obligations in regard to adult education in that county on an experimental basis?
I am not advised as to whether he has been given extra educational obligations. If the Deputy would ask me specifically in another question, I will tell him.
Might I ask the Minister, in view of the great success and popularity of the recent exhibition opened in Westport on 10th of this month by his Parliamentary Secretary, if it would be possible for him to increase the number of exhibitions of this kind, particularly in the suburbs of Dublin?
They are beside the Deputy; what is he blathering about?
As I have already told the House, when we have the result of our pilot studies in these matters, we will be able to make up our minds as to where exactly we will locate these exhibitions. Let me add briefly, in answer to Deputy Wilson, that the education officers are teachers who are paid by salary and an allowance as well.
I just wanted to know because there is a need for adult education as well.
Might I ask the Minister how long these pilot schemes will continue before he has a report and before we can raise the matter with him again? There are requests from voluntary galleries and museums throughout the country. The activity now taking place is a welcome development and I would mention in this connection the Art Gallery. As it can be done without legislation, would the Minister give some indication of his thinking should the pilot schemes prove successful, as I am sure they will?
I cannot tell the Deputy when it will be done. Generally speaking, there will be no unnecessary delay between the pilot scheme and implementation of the work.