asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm that adequate staffing will be provided for Waterville vocational school, County Kerry; if she will give an assurance that any proposals to close or downgrade the school will be rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Kerry Vocational School.
527.
The statutory responsibility for the appointment of vocational teachers in County Kerry and the organisation of the courses in that county's vocational school rests with the County Kerry Vocational Education Committee. For the purpose of servicing the courses conducted by that committee the Department authorise each year an allocation of teaching posts. This allocation is given on a committee-wide basis and not in respect of each individual school.
It is the committee's responsibility to appoint the teachers to posts within the allocation so authorised and to assign them to the individual vocational schools in accordance with the requirements of the committee's educational scheme.
A proposal for the improvement of the subject choice and career opportunities of second level students by the provision of one school in place of the existing four schools serving the Caherciveen/ Waterville area, has been submitted to my Department for investigation. The investigation of this proposal is at a preliminary stage. My Department have sought the views of the management of each of the four schools on the matter. I am not in a position to state what the outcome may be in relation to the future of Waterville Vocational School.