asked the Minister for Education when the proposed amalgamation of St. Joseph's secondary school and the vocational school, Castlerea, County Roscommon will take place.

Pending the completion of consultations with the interested parties it is not possible to say when the proposal made by the County Roscommon Vocational Education Committee for the amalgamation of St. Joseph's secondary school and the vocational school in Castlerea will take place.

Would the Minister inform the House the day the proposed consultations commenced and would she confirm that St. Joseph's school in Castlerea, the vocational school in Castlerea and the VEC are all in agreement but her Department are dragging their feet in relation to this particular issue?

I would like to assure the Deputy that the Department are certainly not dragging their feet in this area and consultations are in process all the time. In July 1982 County Roscommon Vocational Education Committee proposed to the Department that the vocational school and St. Joseph's secondary school in Castlerea, which is under lay management, should be amalgamated. In June 1982 the Mercy Convent intimated to the Department that they intended enrolling boys in the future. The ASTI have been asked for their views in the matter and to date they have not furnished their views. I would like to stress that it would be in the interest of the town in general that these interests should all be consulted and should be in agreement before any final decisions can be made.

Is the Minister aware that on the advice of a previous Minister a common subject consultation is taking place between St. Joseph's school and the vocational school prior to the amalgamation taking place? Would that receive her support as Minister now? I believe this amalgamation should take place at the earliest possible opportunity because without the amalgamation taking place the schools cannot proceed with their curriculum.

I assure the Deputy that it is the Department's wish and my wish that this matter should be resolved at an early date. I can only repeat to him that when proper consultations have been completed it will be undertaken.