Question No. 12 on today's Order Paper relates to a row that has taken place between two schools. This is the type of problem with which we have become familiar since the amalgamation of schools took place. The difference in this case is that it is not a question of one school trying to press a decision on the Minister or trying to get their way in relation to a specific problem. This is a row between two schools. I would like to approach this subject as compassionately and dispassionately as possible without further aggravating what is already growing into a quarrel which is likely to leave a lasting scar on community relations in that district. Nobody would like to contribute to growing antagonism. In this case, the trouble is of such dimensions that with each passing day, month or year, the situation is becoming worse and the likelihood of a settlement is becoming more difficult.
The decision to amalgamate Rannafast school with Annagry school led to a demand by the people of Rannafast for the retention of their school. The Minister at the time in his wisdom decided to leave the Rannafast school and give it the necessary number of teachers to make it viable. For a time it appeared that the problem was solved. The difficulty then arose that there was no clearly defined catchment area for either school and some of the pupils who might ordinarily be expected to attend the Rannafast school opted to attend the Annagry school and used the transport provided. This led to a certain antagonism, feelings escalated and eventually led to the physical interference of people in the transport service. From there, trouble developed between the two schools. Over 200 children attend at Annagry and 60 plus at Rannafast. There is no reason why both schools could not carry on as viable units and give satisfaction by providing facilities for a good education at primary level in the area. We would all like to revert to that position and get over the present trouble. I do not want to go into details of all that happened since the decision was taken to allow Rannafast to retain its primary school facilities. Those facts are well known to the Minister and, unfortunately, to all of us as well.
I would like to refer now to a related point. The Mullaghduff school was also closed and amalgamated with Annagry. As is the rule, the children were provided with transport. In any event, they are entitled to transport but they have none at the moment. They have become the innocent victims of the dispute. This gives a third dimension to the problem.
My reason for raising this matter on the Adjournment is to bring home to the Minister in as calm a manner as possible how this problem has escalated and developed into a serious community row. Many side issues are being brought in, one group is scoring petty points over another, with the result that a great deal of enmity is being engendered which, as I have already said, is likely to have lasting effects on community relations in the area. The longer this goes on the worse the situation becomes.
It is all right to say that the Minister should meet one section or the other but that will not solve the problem. It will not solve the problem for any local TDs to try to bring both sides together because we can only make suggestions. Ultimately, they must be considered by the Department and the Minister and these, in turn, may only exacerbate what is already a rather serious position. I can only see one remedy and that is for the Minister's representative to attend in the area to meet all sides in the dispute, point out that it is not right for either side to score points over the other, but to come to an amicable solution which, in my view, should not be difficult at this stage because the parents of the children concerned will be glad to see a settlement reached.
The Minister is taking the attitude to leave them alone and let them stew in their own juice until they come to an agreement he can accept. This is not likely to happen in the foreseeable future. The difficulty here is that the longer the dispute goes on the worse the position gets. Now they have decided to go on strike and the school is closed. There is no transport to either school. If the Minister had to provide more than the usual transport regulations permit, it would be worth while to bring an end to this hateful situation. It is not difficult to appreciate how many people get in on rows of this kind and sometimes irrelevancies are introduced. Issues which are not connected with the strike tend to be magnified. The general feeling in the area at the moment is electrified with hatred and efforts at one-upmanship. A feeling one could not have seen at the outset has developed. I do not want to apportion the blame or to say what should have been done here or what might have been done there. But a nasty situation has developed and it is likely to become worse unless a solution is found. The only way out of the dilemma is for the Minister or somebody representing him to go to the area and talk with representatives of those concerned in an effort to ascertain what would be the best attitude to adopt. Both schools may remain open but the question is one of transport. Perhaps in this context it may be necessary to define clearly catchment areas or it may be necessary to give the children concerned the option for the time being of attending either school, but it is imperative that the outlying district of Mullaghduff would have transport facilities for the children who, in the first instance, were not a party to this vendetta. They are entitled to have restored to them the transport facilities which they enjoyed up to the time of this dispute. In this way, too, the Department will be tackling the root of the problem.
It has not helped the situation of already seriously strained relations to have some of the delinquents brought to court and sentenced particularly when in the first instance no prosecutions were brought for the interference with the transport. Matters such as this can only exacerbate the situation with the result that relations between the areas concerned are becoming worse daily. I do not think the Minister realises fully how nasty is the situation that is developing. There is no point in his endeavouring to wash his hands of the trouble or in saying that it will resolve itself and that the Department can then operate transport as they consider fit. It is a case which requires consultation between people in authority and the people of the area. This is the only way in which a solution can be found. That is why I did not consider the Minister's answer today to be satisfactory.
The Minister has had some experience of differences in other places. The success of a small group in another area in having their school retained has encouraged the people I am talking of here to press their case strongly. People are always ready to take advantage of established precedents. The people of Rannafast, with the larger number of children concerned, consider that they have a much better case than the people of Dún Caoin and they expect to be accorded the same facilities as applied in the other case.
Therefore, those of us who are elected representatives for the area cannot wash our hands of responsibility in the matter and merely tell the people to settle the matter among themselves. We must make an effort to bring about reconciliation and an end to the conflict that can destroy the otherwise good relations in the area. For that reason I would impress on the Minister the seriousness of the situation. He must tackle this problem without further delay. If the Minister or somebody representing him arranges to meet representatives of the people concerned he will find that they are very reasonable people but in the present situation actions are being undertaken which are fraying tempers. It is because the situation has reached this serious point that I am raising the matter on the Adjournment this evening. I appeal to the Minister not to let any more time pass without dealing with the matter as I have suggested.
In the last analysis the children are the sufferers in this sort of situation. Any of us can appeal to the parents to settle their differences but any moves on our part must have the ratification of the Minister and must be acceptable to the Departments otherwise any solution would be only of a temporary nature. The Minister must begin to arbitrate now. It is not my intention to apportion blame. Already there have been enough recriminations and to apportion blame would only result in a worsening of the serious community division that has occurred in that otherwise close-knit community in The Rosses. The Minister must agree, therefore, that it is wrong to adopt the attitude which he indicated in his reply today—that the people should settle their own differences and reach some agreement before he decides on what transport is to be provided. I am not here to endeavour in any way to score political points but to impress on the Minister the seriousness of the situation and to exhort him to move in quickly. I shall conclude now as other Deputies from the area may wish to say something on the matter.
Deputy White rose.
