andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the fact that two diocesan authorities and three vocational education committees are involved in the area, he will set up a post-primary education planning committee for the Drogheda, County Louth catchment area, similar to those operating in Dublin and Cork.

While Drogheda is a developing town, with a growing school-going population, I do not consider that the problems involved in relation to provision of additional school places is such as to warrant the setting up of an advisory council for the area on a formal basis.

Would the Minister not agree that the fact that there are five separate educational authorities involved in planning in the Drogheda catchment area makes it difficult, even with the best will in the world, for conscious planning of post-primary facilities to take place in Drogheda and would he agree, if he will not set up a formal committee, to ask his officials to bring together the various interests involved informally on a continuing basis until the present apparent difficulties are ironed out over the next year or so?

The Deputy is not unaware of the fact that very shortly there will be a vocational school there catering for 900 students.

In Rathmullen.

Yes, and this must inevitably help the situation there. I take it the Deputy accepts there would not be the need in Drogheda that exists in places where advisory committees exist at the moment—Dublin, Cork and Limerick—and would not argue that we should establish such a committee in respect of Drogheda.

I disagree.

When the representatives of the parents come up to discuss the position generally with officials they can make their submission then in this regard.