asked the Minister for Education if he has decided to include a gymnasium or sports hall in the planning now in progress for the new vocational school at Donegal town; and, if not, if he will consider reintroducing this very necessary aspect of any educational establishment which was in the initial lay-out for the new school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal New Vocational School.
18.
The question of capital expenditure on sports halls has to be considered in relation to its implications at present for the allocation of capital resources available for the purpose of the provision of general school accommodation and the urgent needs of the situation in this regard arising from the annual increase in student numbers and the necessity for replacement of premises in an unsatisfactory condition at first and second levels of education. The cost of the provision and equipment of a sports hall is relatively high and the total capital expenditure involved in meeting even a limited number of the applications before my Department would be very considerable.
I am, however, very favourably disposed to having such amenities made available both for the school students and the community and I am having a study made of the situation as to whether in the near future a scheme on the basis of priority in accordance with specified criteria could be introduced. It is necessary to emphasise however that such a scheme would be frustrated if demands were pressed for special concessions for individual schools without reference to the general specified criteria.
Pending completion of the study I am not in a position to promise a sports hall in the case of any individual school.
Am I to take it that there will not be a sports hall or gymnasium for the proposed new vocational school in Donegal?
The Deputy may take it but I did not say it.
Will there be a sports hall? Only five minutes ago he denigrated the previous Government but now he is continuing their policy. He is displaying a cynical and hypocritical attitude.
I have indicated to the House that as soon as I can I will change the policy of the previous Government.
Change it.
In respect of a school where such facilities were provided post facto, I have acknowledged what that school did by allowing them what I regarded as a token grant in respect of the facilities they provided.
The Minister's verbosity is like a full balloon—there is nothing inside it. I want the Minister to state clearly in this House that he is not providing a gymnasium or a sports hall in the proposed new school. Is that the position?
Can the Minister reconcile his statement that he is setting up a new scheme based on criteria with the statement that his Department have paid grants in respect of sport facilities that have been provided already, presumably without meeting the criteria established by the Department?
With regard to the grant I have made, if other schools will satisfy to the same extent, it would be criteria that I would welcome very much.
Will the Minister indicate to the House the kind of criteria he intends to adopt in order to decide which schools should go on his priority list and which schools will not be on that list?
That has yet to be decided. In respect of the grant I have given already, it referred to a school where a sports complex valued at £180,000 was provided. I gave a grant of 12½ per cent.
I welcome the Minister's reply. I would ask him to give special consideration to providing this facility for the school in Donegal.
I hope that the Donegal school will satisfy the criteria that will be decided.
Will the Minister indicate when the study which he has said is being undertaken will be completed? Will he also state by whom it is being carried out and if financial provision has been made to implement any recommendations the committee may make during 1978?
The study is not yet completed. It is being carried out by people who would be regarded as qualified officers in my Department. Already negotiations have taken place between my Department and the Department of Finance with regard to this matter.
Will the Minister state how much money will be provided in 1978 to implement these provisions? He will appreciate that a change of policy is meaningless without the money.
That is a separate question.
The Minister implied that if undue pressure was put on him it might cause difficulties for some schools. Will he tell the House what he meant exactly? In addition, will he tell the House if he has received requests from a number of schools to meet deputations? What is the present position with regard to deputations from areas where they want to make a genuine case for the provision of these facilities?
I regret if I gave the impression that any school would be constrained, prohibited or embarrassed in respect of the application they might make. I did say that in respect of the immediate future if every school were to apply for a sports complex it would not be possible to provide it immediately and that because of that it would be necessary to establish certain priorities.