James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Gallagher, and thank him for attending to discuss this important matter. It highlights the need for the Minister for Education and Science to give her response to the difficulties encountered by Lanesboro Community College, County Longford with regard to the teaching of woodwork and technical graphics. The Minister of State's presence is an acknowledgement that a problem exists in Lanesboro College, despite the telephone call to my office from the Minister's Department denying knowledge of difficulties in the school and querying the necessity for this Adjournment matter. I have in my possession correspondence between the parents' association and the Department so I am fully aware that channels of communication were open. Records show that this communication has been ongoing.

The problem in Lanesboro Community College relates to the teaching of woodwork and technical graphics and to the unprecedented and continuous absence of a teacher. The parents' association in the college has exhausted all local avenues open to it, including numerous meetings with the principal of the college and the chief executive officer of Longford Vocational Education Committee. The matter has also been discussed at a number of VEC meetings and in 2004 it was the subject of a parliamentary question in the Dáil in an effort to resolve it in a national forum. Full acknowledgement is given by the parents to the efforts made by the principal of the college and the chief executive officer of the Longford VEC to resolve the problem and the effects it is having on the students, but they realise that the matter cannot be resolved at local level.

I am aware from correspondence that the Minister is of the view that this is not a matter for her or her Department to resolve. However, given the conviction of the parents' association of the college, I beg to differ with the Minister. The sensitivities of this issue are obvious. The matter is beyond the ability of local interests to resolve. In the interests of students in this college, I ask the Minister to meet the representatives of the parents' association to try to find a route to end this impasse.