asked the Minister for Education the progress which has been made in procuring a site for a new national school at Drumkeen, County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal National School Needs.
31.
I understand a site has been offered for the proposed new school at Drumkeen. A report is now awaited from the Commissioners of Public Works as to its suitability.
Can I take it from the Minister's reply that the specific site on offer has been inspected by the Office of Public Works?
A report is awaited from them which would indicate that if they have not already inspected it, it must be in train.
They have been commissioned to do it and have not yet done it?
They have been commissioned to do it.
32.
asked the Minister for Education the proposals for the erection of a new national school at Tamney, County Donegal.
My Department have proposals for the erection of two new central schools on a common site, at Tamney, one for Catholic pupils and the other for Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist pupils.
Can I take it that this decision has been confirmed and that it is the intention to have two separate schools within the one site?
Yes. That is what my reply says.
Has there been any indication recently as to the undesirability of this procedure of creating this divide and bringing the divide within the confines of one site? This seems to be the height of nonsense, if not much worse than that. I would ask the Minister to have another look at the underlying effects of such an arrangement. Why not the same school on the same site?
The whole question of reorganising the school facilities has been going on since 1972. This is the best arrangement that can be made in the circumstances.
From my local knowledge on this matter, may I ask the Minister again to have a further look at all the implications involved in having two separate schools on the same site divided on a religious basis? Surely this is running away from everything we are all talking about these days?
I would like the arrangement the Deputy suggests but, if it has been under study since 1972 and the arrangement I have mentioned is the one agreed to, we must proceed with it.
Would the Minister take into account that the fact that it has been under study since 1972 is a clear indication of the difficulty of arriving at any conclusion? This conclusion is of doubtful use and could well be detrimental rather than helpful.
I accept that, if you were at it for a long time and found difficulty in reaching any conclusion, when you did reach a conclusion it would be advisable to adhere to it.
That does not mean it is right. I do not think it is.