The House will now hear one minute statements on matters appropriate to the Minister for Education and to the Minister for Tourism and Transport. I propose to call on Deputy Sean Ryan, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Brian O'Shea and Deputy Michael Finucane to make one minute statements appropriate to the Minister for Education. This is to be followed by statements on matters appropriate to the Minister for Tourism and Transport by Deputy Síle de Valera and Deputy Jim Higgins.
Adjournment Debate. - Education and Tourism and Transport Matters.
Is the Minister aware that the builder has ceased work on the construction of the two prefabs which she recently sanctioned for St. Colmcille's Boys National School, Swords? They have moved off because of non-payment. Is she also aware that the pupils in the special classes for which the prefabs were provided are being taught in a boiler room? Will the Minister accept responsibility for this? Will she arrange for payment of the money and that the work be completed as a matter of urgency?
The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General shows that the last audited accounts submitted by Carysfort College were in 1984, that Carysfort had accumulated £800,000 more than they had declared to the Department of Education and had earned £250,000 in bank interest they had not declared to the Department either.
I would like the Minister to explain all of this. To put it bluntly: were the Carysfort authorities cooking the books? Where is the £800,000 now? Will it be given back to the Department of Education? Why did the Department of Education not pursue the matter with Carysfort over a five-year period? Did the Carysfort authorities enjoy a special favoured status with the Department of Education in that time?
Will the Minister for Education immediately agree the appointment of a full-time remedial teacher to the County Waterford vocational education scheme? The VEC's two schools — the one at Dungarvan and St. Declan's Community School, Kilmacthomas — I understand have approximately 650 pupils between them. I understand that a submission in relation to the need there is with the Department outlining the extent of learning difficulties in literacy and numeracy. There is within the scheme, in first and second year, a large number of pupils who, if there is not a remedial post granted, will be unable to cope with the new junior certificate examination.
This is a totally unsatisfactory position requiring immediate attention.
A decision was taken in 1983 to proceed with a community school in Rathkeale. Recent information from the Department shows that the demographic trends in the context of the school have now been finalised.
In view of the unsatisfactory accommodation in one of the schools in particular, the Mercy Convent, will the Minister say what is the current status of Rathkeale Community School, because the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State — whether the comment was correctly attributed to him I am not certain — indicated that the school would be built shortly in Rathkeale. Perhaps the Minister would inform me how shortly.
Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me raise this matter this evening.
The Minister is well aware of the anxiety and indeed unease felt in the mid-western region with regard to any changes that might be in the offing which would affect the present status of Shannon Airport. The Government stated recently there was no change in Government policy so far as Shannon Airport is concerned. Yet we still hear organised rumours from the Dublin lobby that such changes are afoot and are inevitable. Indeed these are fuelled by Aer Lingus manoeuvres to have, first, a Dublin-New York flight and, second, a Los Angeles flight direct to Dublin. Now there is the threat with regard to Aeroflot in that the Soviet Union have threatened to cancel flights to Cuba which would seriously affect the stop-over flights at Shannon Airport. I would be grateful to hear the Minister's comments on this matter.
The existence of GPA and other welcome projects in the Shannon area are now being advanced by critics of Shannon as the reason for the need for change in the status of Shannon Airport. These critics are attempting to portray us as an area of wealth without the need for continuation of the airport under its present status.
I understand the constraints to which the Minister is subjected. However, I would ask him to remember the part played by Shannon Airport in our industrial history and to ensure a place in the sun for Shannon Airport.
Without the late Monsignor Horan there would be no Knock Airport. He overcame the sceptics, the cynics, the economists, the meteoroligists and the politicians, some of our own hue——
——and Fianna Fáil.
——and the journalists to whom it was a source of considerable amusement. The airport is now a reality and is making money.
It is almost incredible that one can now fly from the heart of County Mayo to Manchester in 40 minutes, to Coventry in 50 minutes and to Luton in an hour. This has provided a lifeline for many of our emigrants apart altogether from its tourism benefits.
The Minister will be putting in place an ownership and management structure, one would hope in the not too distant future. The Minister is a man conscious of merit and recognises a man of merit. Monsignor Horan was a man with a dream, a vision and idealism who went in hot pursuit of what he wanted and achieved his goal.
It is nice to name the airport after him. But the best way in which we can recognise the endeavours and achievements of Monsignor Horan would be to make a member of the Horan family a member of the trust, management or administrative team who will henceforth manage that airport, thereby have a member of the Horan family serve on whatever management structure exists in perpetuity. I know the Minister's heart is in the right place in this regard.
To answer Deputy Seán Ryan, I should say that the payment of money to the contractor has never been an issue in this case. The contractor has confirmed this emphatically to my Department. Indeed he is to be commended for the excellent service he has given. The new accommodation will be ready for the children next week.
Finaly, I should mention that a progress payment — recently certified in the normal way by my Department's architect — will be issued to the school authorities next week. Therefore, they will be getting the rooms and the money next week.
Deputy Gilmore raised a query about Carysfort College accounts. The position of discrepancies between the financial details furnished by the Carysfort College of Education when they were seeking State grants and accounts subsequently furnished by the college authorities — raised in the recently published report of the Comptroller and Auditor General are being examined by my Department in conjunction with the manager of the college. Pending completion of this examination I am not in a position to comment further.
I can assure Deputy Gilmore that I will particularly interest myself in the issue he has raised. It certainly merited being raised and is what one might describe as a bit of a mystery.
With regard to the remedial teacher for the two County Waterford VEC schools at Kilmacthomas and Dungarvan, Deputy O'Shea will be aware that in the normal way teachers are appointed through the committee system. The allocation for County Waterford was increased recently over what they had got previously. They appealed and were allocated three more posts.
With regard to the specific allocation of 60 remedial/disadvantaged teachers allocated to second level in September last, County Waterford VEC received one teacher who was placed in Dungarvan. That teacher is for what are deemed to be the needs of home/school liaison for the disadvantaged in Dungarvan. My Department have written to them saying that the psychologist will help in any needy case. Bearing in mind their appeal, which resulted in giving them teachers in the county and the special appointment of a remedial/ disadvantaged teacher in Dungarvan I feel we have gone some way to meet their needs.
Deputy Finucane raised the matter of Rathkeale Community School. The demographic survey has been completed and the revised schedule was issued to the school authorities in July for their agreement. We have been awaiting receipt of agreement on the part of all the parties concerned to the revised schedule of accommodation before proceeding with the alterations to the plans for the school. The revised schedule is now acceptable. But we did not receive formal notification from the management authorities that they had accepted the revised schedule. When we receive that we will examine it. While we would be very keen to make every possible effort, of course any capital projects of that nature are dependant on the moneys available. Indeed I should say that all of those mysteries will be unveiled within the next few weeks.
With regard to Deputy de Valera's concern I want to assure the House that there is no change in existing Government policy in relation to the Shannon stop. It is true to say that, in recent weeks, I have received a number of submissions from various organisations both for and against the change. I can tell the Deputy that I am at present studying these submissions in the context of plans and trends within the community and the wider aviation trends.
I should like to avail of this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the Government to the future development of Shannon Airport and the Shannon region as a major centre of economic growth. Representations have been made to me by the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Daly, and by Deputy de Valera and others over recent months. I want to assure them of the Government's full commitment to the development of Shannon Airport and region.
In regard to the second matter raised by Deputy Jim Higgins, I should say that last September the board of Knock Airport indicated to me that it would not be possible to complete the necessary formalities to put a deed of trust in place. I then proposed that the question of a trust be dropped altogether and have suggested an alternative way of doing this. We are still talking to the board about how that alternative might work out and no final decision has been taken.
I had a lengthy meeting with representatives of the Horan family on 2 November last. I was fully aware of their views in this matter after that meeting and I believe they understand my views fully.
I want to emphasise that I am interested and concerned about the future development of the airport, that its assets will be fully utilised and that it will continue to be a viable airport and an instrument for economic development in the region. These are my aims for the future development of the airport, and I will take into account what Deputy Higgins has said.
The Dáil adjourned at 9.40 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 22 November 1990.