Liam Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail)

The principal allegation is that the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, simply binned or, at best, ignored the consultant's report. The then Minister has stated repeatedly in public that the report was thoroughly examined and that the options for the future of the college were set out for his consideration. However, some important aspects of this have not been articulated properly, one of which is that the report was commissioned long before he came into office and in a slightly different context. Second, if one looks at the terms of reference given to the consultant who drew up the report, one will note they were based on the assumption that St. Catherine's would be kept open.

Very soon after the presentation of the report to the then Minister and the outlining of options to him, a significant presentation was made by St. Angela's College in Sligo. This presentation made a very convincing case for designating that college as the sole centre for the training of home economics teachers in the country. While the consultant's report dealt with the option of linking the existing facilities at St. Catherine's to one of Dublin's third level colleges, the proposal by St. Angela's College offered a new and additional feasible option. It was at least of equal merit educationally. I have heard some references to the contrary across the floor today——