asked the Minister for Education the reason the European Social Fund grant was withdrawn from the advertising course at Rathmines College of Commerce, Dublin 6.
Written Answers. - European Social Fund Grant Withdrawal.
398.
The Middle-Level Technician Training Programme of the Department of Education is aided by the European Social Fund. Under this programme, which is conducted in the colleges of technology and regional technical colleges, a limited number of training places is made available each year. Demands from the colleges exceed the number of places available annually and, accordingly, it is necessary to determine priorities as between these competing demands having regard to the overall European Social Fund criteria for the funding of such courses. It was in this context that it was not found possible to include the one-year course in sales promotion/advertising in the College of Commerce, Rathmines, in the 1983-84 list of approved ESF courses.
Having refused to accept my Private Notice Question, I wish to inform the Chair that I propose to table the question in the normal way next Tuesday. I regret the failure of the Taoiseach to make a public statement in this House on the extraordinary meeting that took place in Brussels yesterday. That was gravely irresponsible and does a disservice to Parliament.
They had lunch together.
A four hour lunch, when Deputy Barry said nothing specific was considered.
With the permission of the Chair I wish to raise on the Adjournment this evening the fact that the contractors who were engaged in development work for the Dublin Gas Company have been notified by the company that they will be unable to meet the scheduled times for payments under the contracts due to the delay caused by the Government considering the agreement for the comprehensive restructuring of Dublin Gas during the past eleven and a half months.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to give notice that I wish to raise on the Adjournment the continuing closures in the PMPA, the effect of the closures on the staff employed in the subsidiaries and their families and also the effect of the closures on the other PMPA companies.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
With the permission of the Chair, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the exorbitant overcharging by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs to telephone subscribers.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
In view of the fact that the Chair disallowed my Private Notice Question in relation to the disastrous state of telecommunications between Dublin and Donegal — sometimes it takes a day to get through to Donegal——
Will the Deputy please set out his question?
I received an explanation why it cannot be taken but I seek the permission of the Chair to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise the disastrous state of the telecommunications system——
The Chair appreciates that.
The Chair may not be familiar with the situation.
The Deputy has made it quite clear to me.
In view of the fact that my question was not accepted as a Private Notice Question, I have very little chance——
Different criteria apply.
It takes me about four hours to communicate between Dublin and Donegal——
The Deputy is now depriving other Deputies of making requests with regard to their questions.
I am sure other Deputies appreciate how remote Donegal is from the rest of the country.
With the permission of the Chair, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the dredging of Ballycotton harbour. The non-dredging of the harbour is preventing the provision of a new £500,000 lifeboat for the harbour.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy. I wish to point out to the House that there are about 20 requests for questions on the Adjournment this evening.
We should meet more often.
The practice is that only one question may be taken. The requests will be processed at very considerable expense and switching from other work. In the opinion of the Chair it would be a good thing if some method could be devised of parties deciding what matters they want to raise on the Adjournment in order to avoid this huge processing of work.
The clogging-up of the system shows just how archaic is the system and the Chair, as chairman of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, has an obligation to devise ways and means to facilitate Members. Otherwise Parliament will become irrelevant.
The Chair presides over such matters as are brought before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. There are between 14 and 18 members on the committee. It is not the duty of the Chair to bring matters before the committee.
Would the Chair not explain to the committee the frustration experienced by the Chair in efforts to facilitate Members in making Parliament relevant to the problems of the day? Serious issues cannot be discussed.
That is exactly what the Chair is doing at the moment.
In relation to my request, perhaps the Chair would allow me to elaborate a little.
No, I will not.
The other speakers may withdraw their requests in view of the seriousness of my request. That would cut down a lot of the expense. I am trying to be helpful to the Chair.
Perhaps the Deputy is close to some of the applicants and he might have a chat with them.