The House will now hear one minute statements on matters appropriate to the Minister for Education. I propose to call on Deputies McGrath and Andrews in repect of two matters, Deputy Owen in respect of two matters and Deputy Hogan.
Adjournment Debate. - Education Matters.
I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me raise this matter in the House this evening.
I want to express my dissatisfaction at the method of paying European Social Fund grants to students attending five colleges under the jurisdiction of Dublin Vocational Education Committee. There are involved approximately 4,500 college students following a variety of courses. Their frustration and anger has reached such a point I believe they are planning an immediate walk-out from their studies. I can understand their annoyance since their first grant payment was effected on 2 November last and no subsequent payment has been made. I understand there will not be another payment until 18 December, almost seven weeks since the first payment. In the meantime those students must pay for their accommodation, provide for their food and daily living expenses.
This delay has been occasioned by a reluctance on the part of the Dublin Vocational Education Committee to provide adequate staff to administer these moneys, already deposited from Europe. The Department must also shoulder some responsibility. They are responsible for these payments and should ensure punctual disbursement or modify the system or frequency of payments for the benefit of students. Approximately £150,000 per week is involved. I hope the Dublin Vocational Education Committee are not callously delaying payment in order to gain interest on the money on deposit. The losers are the students and their families who are heavily subsidising their children's education. I plead with the Minister to have this problem resolved immediately.
First, I wish to raise the question of the pupil-teacher ratio in the Blackrock-Booterstown area. I have received quite a number of representations from constituents who have children in Booterstown national school, Guardian Angels national school and Hollypark national school about what they consider a very serious situation in connection with the number of pupils in these very excellent schools in their communities. The national school system is one of the jewels in the educational crown. I would ask the Minister to kindly investigate the complaints from the many representations I have received from the parents and from many of the young pupils who are suffering under this disability of too many pupils for too few teachers.
In voicing the second of my concerns in grievance time, again I express the concern of many people in the community of Dún Laoghaire. The National College of Art has built up a wonderful reputation over the years, and I am now calling on the Government and our very able Minister for Education to undertake to ensure that the College of Art is not interfered with or diminished in its educational value to the community in Dún Laoghaire and nationally. I would very much appreciate if the Government would give a commitment to increasing the value which they attach to this educational establishment as part of the contribution to the overall educational welfare of the nation.
St. Brendan's national school in Loughshinny and St. Catherine's national school in Rush are in serious need of a remedial teacher. They are by national standards quite small schools with 168 pupils in St. Brendan's and approximately 230 in St. Catherine's, but there is a very high requirement for remedial teaching, above the average one would expect in this locality. I am asking the Minister to make an allocation of a shared — I am not even looking for a single teacher for each school — remedial teacher for both these schools. St. Catherine's school is mainly serving children in a large council estate and it has over 60 pupils assessed as requiring remedial teaching. In St. Brendan's school in 1986 a psychologist from Temple Street Hospital assessed a number of children as requiring remedial teaching. Therefore, I ask the Minister earnestly to consider these children. There is an attitude that just because they might be living at a reasonably good address outside the city centre they do not require remedial teaching, but once they are assessed as requiring it, their need is as much as that of any other child in the State.
I wish to raise the question of a new vocational school for Johnstown, County Kilkenny. The Minister will be aware that students there are living in a shanty town of prefabs which were provided in the late sixties at the time of the provision of free education, and now those prefabs are in very bad repair. I am aware the school was sanctioned as far back as 1982 and in 1984 and 1988 it was reviewed. In December 1988 the school was sanctioned for 400 pupils and in November 1990 a further delay by the Department of Education was mooted due to the fact that it was to undergo a further review. In view of the closure of schools in Freshford and Durrow, the population increase in the large catchment area around Johnstown and the prospect of a major mining industry in the area should indicate to the Department the urgency of providing a new vocational school for Johnstown as soon as possible.
With regard to the question from Deputy McGrath, ESF grants were paid monthly in arrears to trainees in third level vocational education committee colleges who were participating in approved ESF grant programmes. It is the responsibility of the vocational education committees concerned to ensure prompt payment of the grant. My Department wrote to each relevant vocational education committee in October reminding them of the necessity to avoid late payments. I understand payments this year for the trainees concerned are no later than in previous years. However, if the Deputy has specific evidence of unusually late payments I will be glad to have them examined if he brings them to my attention.
In regard to Deputy Andrews's first question, the current pupil-teacher ratio based on the projected enrolment in September 1990 and the number of teachers currently employed in national schools is 26.7:1. It is possible, in view of the general decline in the population, that the actual enrolment in 1990 will be less than that projected, thereby giving a more favourable pupil-teacher ratio. As agreed with the Central Review Committee, my Department have implemented a reduction of one point in the staffing schedule at primary level from I September 1990. Each unit improvement in the staffing schedule will cost in the region of £8 million to £9 million per annum, as approximately 500 teachers will be required for each improvement. The issue of class sizes in national schools will be reviewed in the context of the ongoing discussions under the programme for economic and national recovery. There is a need to recognise that there have been significant improvements over the years. However, each improvement brings with it a substantial cost tag which has to be assessed against the cost of other eagerly sought improvements in the educational system. The question of improving the pupil-teacher ratio in national schools is currently under discussion with the social partners in the context of the ongoing negotiations under the programme for economic and national recovery. I cannot pre-empt those negotiations, but I will concur with the Deputy in expressing my wish to see improvement in the pupil-teacher ratio.
The next question from Deputy Andrews was on the College of Art and Design at Dún Laoghaire. The college has submitted to my Department proposals for its future development. These proposals envisage a doubling of student numbers over the next few years, an expansion in the number of courses on offer, an upgrading of its academic staff and extra administrative and technical staff as well as the cost of refurbishment and new equipment to cater for the proposed expansion. The proposals are being examined at present and meetings have already taken place between Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee and officials in my Department.
With regard to the question from Deputy Owen about remedial teachers in the national schools at Loughshinny and Rush, remedial education at primary level is a matter in the first instance for the ordinary class teachers. The majority of pupils with remedial needs will, therefore, be helped within the scope of the normal service. Where need is particularly acute additional teaching staff may be appointed in particular schools to assist in remedial training. Remedial posts are allocated on the basis of priority of need. The availability of such posts depends on the overall level of resources available to my Department. The Deputy will be aware that, despite difficult financial circumstances, the Minister sanctioned 30 additional remedial posts in primary schools in 1989-90. However, Loughshinny and Rush national schools were not placed sufficiently high in order of priority to warrant the allocation of a post. I intend to keep the appointment of further remedial teachers under review.
While I recognise the need for more remedial teachers, my personal experience on this question is that the demand for remedial teachers is no greater now than it was ten years ago but for whatever reason every school in the country now seems to demand a remedial teacher. I do not accept that is necessary.
Finally, from Deputy Phil Hogan an old chestnut between himself and myself on numerous occasions. Johnstown vocational school in County Kilkenny is a single school, as he has pointed out, in a post-primary area catered for by the vocational education committee. The school has a current enrolment of 317 and accommodation for 300 pupils, much of which is in prefabricated buildings. An extension is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning.
However, in common with other projects in the Department's second level building programme, the project at Johnstown has been subject to critical review in the light of all relevant factors, including the most up to date statistical data and demographic trends. Officials in my Department have had discussions on the matter recently with representatives of Kilkenny Vocational Education Committee with particular reference to the estimated long term enrolments for the catchment area.
All aspects of the case are being reviewed in the light of the circumstances advanced by the vocational education committee representatives and a decision on the provision to be made to meet long term pupil needs is imminent.
I take Deputy Hogan's point that this has been a long running issue and was raised by his colleague Deputy Aylward also. I understand the frustration being caused by the continuing delay but I assure the House that we will attempt to have progress on this project in the near future.
The Dáil adjourned at 6.45 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 7 December 1990.