Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Jul 1986

Vol. 368 No. 9

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin Schools.

4.

Miss Harney

andMr. Taylor asked the Minister for Education the representations he has received from the County Dublin VEC or any individual members thereof regarding the location, or relocation, of Coláiste Chrónáin, Clondalkin, County Dublin, from its existing location at Nangor Road, Clondalkin; whether written representations were made; whether any meetings or deputations took place with the County Dublin VEC or representatives thereof; the date of any such meetings; the names of the deputation who participated on behalf of the County Dublin VEC; and the nature of the representations that were received by him on this issue.

19.

Miss Harney

andMr. Taylor asked the Minister for Education the representations he has received, if any, from the parents of children attending Coláiste Chrónáin, Nangor Road, Clondalkin, County Dublin, regarding the location, or relocation, of the school.

107.

Mr. S. Walsh

asked the Minister for Education if he has received a request to meet with a deputation from the Parents Action Committee relating to the transfer of pupils from Scoil Chrónáin, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, to Deansrath community college, Dublin 22; and, if so, if he will indicate if he intends to meet with this deputation.

Minister for Education (Mr. Cooney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 19 and 107 together.

The position in regard to Coláiste Chrónáin, Clondalkin, and post primary school accommodation generally in that area, must be viewed in the context of the decision of April 1986 viz. Coláiste Chrónáin vocational school to transfer from the Nangor Road building to the new Deansrath building. Coláiste Chillian, the all-Irish post primary school, to transfer from the old building on Monastry Road to the Nangor Road building. These decisions were made following detailed evaluation of all the factors involved, including the recommendations of the advisory council on post primary accommodation in the greater Dublin area, and the views of County Dublin Vocational Education Committee. These views had been made known to my Department and were confirmed to me by a deputation I received from the committee in March last.

I have recently received some written representations from interested parties expressing concern at my decision as outlined above, and I have met with a deputation from the parents' committee of Coláiste Chrónáin recently. It is not normal practice to disclose names of members of deputations.

Mr. M. O'Leary

Will the Minister agree to meet a deputation——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am calling Deputy Mary Harney. She has the question down.

Miss Harney

Can the Minister confirm that the County Dublin VEC asked for this school to be moved? Can the Minister tell us whether or not he intends to meet a further deputation from the parents' association?

Mr. Cooney

The decision to make the arrangements revealed in my reply were made following detailed evaluation of all the factors. These were considered by the advisory council on post primary accommodation and also by County Dublin Vocational Education Committee. Both of these bodies were in agreement and conveyed to me that the arrangements now proposed are the most sensible and most satisfactory arrangements having regard to the needs of the area and the availability of resources there. I am aware of the concern of the parents' committee of Coláiste Chrónáin. I met them.

In reply to Deputy O'Leary, he is aware that I have indicated to him that I am giving favourable consideration to meeting these parents again. I believe that I should talk to them again and Deputy O'Leary has asked me to do so. In principle, I have no objection to doing so. Whether we get any further or whether we will resolve their objections I do not know but I think it is right that I should talk to them.

Mr. Taylor

Can the Minister tell the House what detailed evaluation of the situation in Clondalkin at post primary level was carried out before the decision of his predecessor, Deputy Gemma Hussey, now Minister for Social Welfare, under which Coláiste Chrónáin would remain in its present location? Does he not agree that she carried out a perfectly adequate assessment or evaluation? Does he not agree that it seems rather remarkable that a decision by a Minister would be reversed so shortly after a firm commitment was given to the parents whose children had settled into that school for over one year and integrated with their teachers and with the whole educational set-up there? Consequently, it is reasonable for the parents to be as angry, as they are. I understand that they are picketing the school today. This is likely to give rise to some further difficulties in having an organised and happy educational establishment in Clondalkin.

An Ceann Comhairle

A question, please.

Mr. Taylor

What influences precisely gave rise to the rather unusual step of this change of decision by two Ministers for Education within the space of a short couple of months?

Mr. Cooney

I can only deal with the facts as they come before me. I am not aware of all the information that became available to my predecessor or the stage the evaluation had reached when she indicated her thinking on the matter. Having been advised as I have been and made aware of all the factors in that area, it seems to me it would be flying in the face of common sense to leave Deansrath, a new school with a capacity for 1,000 pupils, with the most modern facilities including a high class gymnasium, empty so as to leave the pupils in Coláiste Chrónáin where they have been for only a year and could not really have settled in, and proceed to spend scarce public funds on building a totally new complex for the all-Irish school. It seemed to me that the logic of the situation demanded that the Nangor Road complement of pupils should move to Deansrath, a comparatively short distance away with a modern school with excellent facilities including an ultra-modern gymnasium, and move the Irish school into the vacated building at Nangor Road.

Mr. M. O'Leary

Is the Minister aware that a higher proportion of pupils in Coláiste Chrónáin come now and will come in the future from the Clondalkin area? Is he further aware that if this move occurs to Nangor Road and from Nangor Road to Deansrath, most of the children will have to travel one mile on average and their school will be used in the main by pupils from outside the Clondalkin area? That is the nub of the parents' grievance.

Mr. Cooney

I cannot accept that. I am sure all these factors informed the thinking of people closer to the area than I, the Advisory Council on Post Primary Accommodation, which was set up to advise on precisely these issues. There are, of course, the views of the County Dublin VEC. Both bodies would have been aware of all of these factors and having taken them all into consideration one has to make a judgment on what is the best balance. The best balance is in favour of the decision that has been made. In a situation like this, it is difficult if not impossible to arrive at a decision that will please everyone involved. We should bear in mind that we must make the most rational use of the resources available. The distance is less than a mile. It would be very difficult to explain the expenditure of public funds on building a new all-Irish school and at the same time leave the Deansrath purpose-built secondary school idle.

Mr. S. Walsh

Did the Minister recently receive a submission with new information from the County Dublin VEC and, if so, has he given it consideration? Has the Minister given consideration to a request to meet another deputation?

Mr. Cooney

I am considering that request favourably. I am not aware of any new submission from the County Dublin VEC — it has not come to me. I would be surprised if there is anything new or startling in it.

Mr. S. Walsh

At a meeting of the VEC three weeks ago a submission was discussed from the parents' committee. It was agreed to forward it to the Minister and to the advisory council.

Mr. Cooney

It is probably on its way.

Mr. Taylor

Does the Minister agree with me that the furious response of the parents there indicates that there is more involved here than implementing a merry-go-round within the space of a mile, as the Minister described it? Though appreciating the fact that he is prepared to meet them again, can the Minister assure the House that he is prepared to retain an open mind? Can he indicate if a resolution was adopted by the VEC giving an opinion? In the light of all these things, including the resistance of the parents, will he be influenced to review the position?

Mr. Cooney

I will be glad to meet the parents as requested by Deputy O'Leary and the other Deputies. It is desirable that I would meet aggrieved groups to see if I can assuage their unease and, on the other hand, if they can adduce any new and cogent reasons which might compel me to reconsider the decision. I will approach the meeting with an open mind but I will require some stronger reasons than those I had from the earlier deputation.

5.

Mr. D. Andrews

asked the Minister for Education when it is proposed to erect St. Brigid's national school in the Park, Cabinteely; the number of classrooms it is intended to build within the new school; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Mr. Kenny)

The position with regard to the provision of a new school building for St. Brigid's national school in the Park Estate, Cabinteely, County Dublin is as set out in the reply given to the question raised on this matter on 16 April 1986. The project will provide 12 classrooms. The placing of the contract during August next has been authorised on the basis that work may commence at any time after the last day of that month.