Vol. 408 No. 2
10 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
12 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfiling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
27 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
36 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
48 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
50 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
55 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
58 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; and if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
59 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September/October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
65 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Education if her Department in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Food have given any further consideration to the proposal for the siting of the third level Community Rural and Agricultural Institute in Thurles, County Tipperary.
82 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Education if she is still committed to the establishment of regional technical colleges for Castlebar, County Mayo and Thurles, County Tipperary; the timescale envisaged for the establishment of the colleges; if she proposes fulfilling the commitments given to have third level courses established at the aforementioned locations commencing September-October 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
124 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Education when it is proposed to sanction the Regional Technical College for Castlebar, County Mayo which has been promised for over ten years; her views on whether the provision of this college is essential to the future well-being of this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 12, 27, 36, 48, 50, 55, 58, 59, 65, 82 and 124 together.
The provision of places in universities, regional, technical and other third-level colleges is kept under review in my Department. The Deputies will be aware that under the terms of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress special initiatives will create almost 9,000 additional third level places within the period of the programme. Initiatives include the provision of 3,600 places in universities under arrangements initiated by the Government in the 1990 budget to be followed through in the 1991 budget and in the 1992 budget the provision of funding to UCD, the utilisation of spare capacity in the Colleges of Education including Thomond College involving linkages within the university system and the provision of a new Regional Technical College in Tallaght, County Dublin, and other third-level facilities. The possibility of a further 1,000 places being provided with private sector financial participation is being explored by one of the universities.
It is considered that the above consensus will go a long way towards meeting the demand for further third level places in a cost effective manner.
In terms of participation in higher education both Mayo and Tipperary fare relatively well compared with other areas of the country. According to the second National Survey of Participation in Higher Education by Patrick Clancy, both these counties had higher than the then national average entering higher education in 1986; I hope to discuss the matter fully at a later date.
I am shocked because it would appear from the Minister's reply that she and the Government are reneging on their commitment to establish a fully fledged third level college in Thurles. Would the Minister agree that the case for establishing such a college has been well documented? Would she elaborate on the nature of third level courses under consideration for Thurles? There have been consultations between the vocational education committee and the Department of Education in this respect. Could the Minister indicate where these courses will be conducted? Will they be held in existing second level institutions or in a new building on the site which has already been purchased for that purpose? Are they to be certificate or diploma courses? Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Agriculture and Food has already heralded these courses in my constituency and has she been in consultation with him in this respect?
Finally, let me say that there is an expectation that these courses will be up and running in September-October. It is now May and we have seen little effective action on the ground. Will the Minister agree that time is running out?
The questioning is over-long.
I have a final question. Will the Minister agree to my request to meet with representatives of the action committee, because this needs proper discussion?
I want to facilitate other Members.
I counted 21 supplementaries. I will try to pick the relevant ones. I have been speaking to my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, about the matter. He has requested a meeting between representatives of the County Tipperary Vocational Education Committee and other interested parties to consider a range of third level courses in County Tipperary. Until we meet, I do not know what they have in mind.
The Minister obviously had amicable discussions with the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy O'Kennedy: will she confirm that she also had amicable discussions with the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Flynn in relation to the Castlebar project? Since this is a national issue, judging by the questions put down by Deputies, would the Minister not agree that there would seem to be some ominous soundings in view of the fact that she said that this year 8,600 additional third level places will be provided? Will she not also agree that her acknowledgment that there is such a high participation rate from Mayo and Tipperary simply underlines the fact that there is a high degree of consciousness of the need for third level education facilities, which helps to copperfasten the argument for third level courses for both counties? Will tertiary courses happen in Mayo as promised this September/October?
I am glad to confirm that I have had amicable discussions with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, on that matter. Various conclusions can be drawn from the high participation rate, depending on how one looks at them. I see it as evidence of one thing and the Deputy sees it as evidence of another, but both views can be combined. I have agreed to the suggestion of the Minister for the Environment that I meet with the County Mayo VEC to discuss the proposals they are putting forward. I understand a date has been set and I am sure the Deputy himself will be on the deputation.
I must use this opportunity to raise a point of order. Are Fine Gael going to continue with this practice of putting down multiple questions? There are 14 identical questions, some put down by two Deputies. This a gross abuse of the procedures of this House. It is a disgrace that the major Opposition parties should do this.
There are 55 of us here.
That is 55 too many.
