asked the Minister for Education the number and situation of community schools which are completed but which, because of the deed of trust position are unable to open their doors and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Community Schools.
8.
The only completed school building whose operation as a community school has been deferred pending agreement on the draft deed of trust for community schools generally is in Castletownbere. The building has, in the meantime, been made available to relieve the long-standing accommodation problem of the Castletownbere Vocational School.
Is the Minister aware that there will be approximately seven community schools ready to open their doors to the students at the commencement of the academic year in September next?
I have information in connection with schools in respect of which there could be hope of their being opened this year or later. These are at Bishopstown, Clonakilty, Balally, Blakestown, Portmarnock and Birr. From a reply given to the Deputy yesterday by the Minister he should be aware that negotiations in regard to the matters he raises have reached an advanced stage, that they are now at a point where I think he would accept that it would not be desirable or prudent for me to make any statement having regard to the interest, the number of organisations involved and bearing in mind the reply given to the Deputy yesterday.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be unacceptable that as many as seven schools be left unopened because of failure to reach agreement and, if he so agrees, should not steps be taken to ensure that the schools are opened under some auspices in the event of there not being agreement regarding the deeds of trust? Would a clear statement to that effect not encourage agreement in this regard?
I think Deputy FitzGerald will accept that where negotiations have reached a certain point it is not likely to be helpful that the nature of the decisions made to date or the exact point to which the negotiations have been brought are removed from the people who are directly concerned.
There is nobody suggesting the removal of the negotiations from the people who have been negotiating, but the matter might be brought to a conclusion more readily if those people knew the position one way or the other and if they understood that this House would find it unacceptable to have empty schools because of disagreements about the deeds of trust.
The Deputy is speaking of something which is far removed from the present. The Minister indicated yesterday, in reply to Deputy Collins, that he was rather hopeful this matter could be resolved fairly soon.
While it is far removed from the present, would the Minister not agree that, should negotiations fail, it would take some months' preparation to establish the organisational structure under which to get the schools going and that contingency plans should be made?
I should prefer to be optimistic rather than indulge in the hypothesis presented by the Deputy.
What would be the position in these schools should the present negotiations fail?
The Deputy accepts that nobody is blessed with the good fortune of being able to see into the future.
Has the Minister alternative plans?
No, he has not.