asked the Minister for Education whether he has received any report of the sanitary conditions at Glanworth National School, County Cork; and, if so, what steps he is taking to prevent an outbreak of disease due to these conditions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Schools.
I have received a report from the Commissioners of Public Works on the sanitary conditions at this school. While it would be feasible to provide water-flushed sanitation at the school, I am advised that the cost would be high, and that the expenditure involved would not be warranted, having regard to the fact that the schoolhouse is over 100 years old and that it falls far short of present-day requirements. It is considered that the proper course to take would be to erect a new school on a new site within the course of the next few years and the Department is pursuing the matter with the manager.
The Department is also in communication with the manager with a view to having the existing latrines maintained in as satisfactory a condition as possible pending the provision of a new school.
asked the Minister for Education if he will state when the new national schools will be erected at Meelin, Rockchapel and Beeing, County Cork.
I am not at present in a position to say when work will commence on the building of new schools to replace the present Meelin, Rockchapel and Clashbee (Beeing) National Schools, County Cork.
The Department has sanctioned a grant towards the cost of the new Meelin National School and the arrangements for the erection of the building are in the hands of the Commissioners of Public Works. I understand from the commissioners that the working drawings and specification are almost completed and that they expect to be in a position to invite tenders at an early date.
The necessary preliminary steps in the case of the proposed new Rockchapel National School have been completed and a grant towards the cost of erecting the new school has been sanctioned by the Department. It will now be necessary for the Commissioners of Public Works to prepare working drawings and specification, and there will be no avoidable delay in having the new school erected.
The necessary preliminary steps towards the erection of a new school to replace Clashbee National School are nearing completion, but certain arrangements have still to be made as regards the local contribution and the production of evidence of title to the site for the new school before a grant can be sanctioned from State funds. Every effort is being made, and will continue to be made, with a view to securing that the new school will be provided as soon as possible.