asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school building projects in urban areas that have been cancelled or postponed by her in pursuit of her publicly stated policy of not providing new accommodation where there is evidence that sufficient suitable accommodation is available at existing schools within a reasonable distance; and if she will give the details in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Primary School Building Projects.
11.
As the compilation of statements listing and giving details of individual school projects which may be affected by various policies of my Department would involve an inordinate amount of official time, it would not be my intention to provide such statements. I would, however, be happy to answer questions the Deputy might wish to raise about individual projects in which he is interested.
The policy mentioned by the Deputy is one to which I referred in my statement to the House on 4 February 1988 in connection with the 1988 budget. It is one of a number of policy areas which are under consideration by a review group — set up in January 1987 — currently assessing the framework within which the primary building programme operates. Pending the submission of the group's report, which is expected in the near future, and an assessment of its impact on building grant applications in hands, it would be inappropriate for me to make further comment at this stage.
In my statement referred to I indicated that I expected to be able to offer grants for additional building to a number of schools which have acute accommodation problems but only on the basis that their schemes would be confined to the provision of proper classrooms with proper facilities. I further indicated that the additional finance made available to my Department for their national schools building programme would be devoted mainly to school building in rural areas. It follows that the postponement of major primary school projects arises as much from financial constraints as from other policy considerations including the specific one to which the Deputy refers. While the emphasis in the current financial year would be on dealing with rural schools, urban schools would not be excluded from consideration where they have acute accommodation problems and where their problems cannot be resolved by the use of suitable accommodation which might be available elsewhere.
Can the Minister tell us whether her statement in the budget debate pre-empted the findings of the review group in that she clearly stated that it was her policy that schools would not be built where there was sufficient suitable accommodation?
Obviously no review group are going to come up with a proposal in cases where there is suitable available accommodation, that there should be more. Is that what the Deputy is saying?
There are two levels, primary and post-primary.
Yes, there are two levels. The setting up of the review group first appeared in the programme for action in education but I do not understand the Deputy's question in which he asked if further school accommodation would be provided where there was already adequate accommodation.
Can the Minister tell us whether it is the case that no project has been cancelled or postponed because of the considerations mentioned — she has already stated that the review group have not reported and that therefore no decisions could be taken on the basis of that review — or whether it is the case that in fact some school projects have been cancelled or postponed on the basis of the Minister's policy statement made in advance of the report of the review group? Which is the case?
Both. First of all, there are the financial constraints and Deputy Bruton well knows about them as he framed the 1987 budget. Secondly, there are the planning needs of an area. These two must go together. Obviously, we cannot build schools where we do not need them and where full accommodation is available. As the Deputy knows, demographic changes and the production of new figures showing that an area does not now need a school which heretofore had been sought have led to many rethinks on the building of schools within areas.
Let me ask the Minister a simple question seeing that she did not answer the last one. Has any school been cancelled because of the considerations mentioned in the question and can the Minister state whether she is prepared to cancel school projects because of the considerations mentioned in the question?
If any school project is cancelled it would be primarily cancelled because there would be no need for such a school, bearing in mind the number of pupils available to fill such a school.
Have any schools been cancelled on that basis?
Yes, all over the country.
As I have said, I cannot give a list to the Deputy.
I am not asking for a list. Has any school been cancelled in view of the considerations mentioned in the Minister's speech — cancelled, not postponed?
With regard to schools ready to move forward to the next stage of planning, I am sure, although I cannot give the Deputy an elaborate answer——
The Minister is not answering the question.
Wait a minute, Deputy Farrelly, I am coming to it.
(Interruptions).
If the interruptions do not cease I am moving on to the next question.
I have looked at the figures available to me. I do not mean the monetary figures but the pupil figures. I told somebody in my Department to find out the up-to-date position with regard to that school and when I look at it I will decide whether or not it should be cancelled.
Has the Minister cancelled any schools?
I cannot tell you——
The Minister does not know.
(Interruptions).
The compilation of the facts as Deputy Bruton knows, would be an enormous job. I am trying to be honest with Deputies. Under the criteria Deputy Bruton laid down as Minister for Finance——
(Interruptions.)
I know all of that and I am prepared to answer it, unlike the Minister.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 12.