asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the urgent necessity for the erection of new national school buildings in rural Ireland, he will consider the taking by agreement of temporary buildings pending the erection of permanent schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Schools.
Except in very rare cases the urgency of the replacement of national schools is not so great as to render it impossible or undesirable to carry on the work of the schools in the existing buildings until such time as new premises are provided.
If, however, it would be impracticable to continue to use an existing school, because of its condition, my Department is prepared to approve of the work of the school being carried on, if possible, in some other building in the district until such time as the new school is erected. It is a matter for the manager of the school concerned to make arrangements for alternative accommodation.
Where a new school is to be erected to cater for an area in which there is not an existing school my Department is prepared to consider the granting of aid to the school, in the form of the payment of salaries to the teachers, and so on, temporarily in some suitable premises pending the completion of the new school.
Furthermore, if an existing school has to be demolished to enable a new school to be erected on the same site my Department endeavours to secure that the manager will, if possible, obtain the use of other premises for school purposes in the interval until the new school is ready for occupation.