asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware that at present there is such overcrowding in the new national school at Modeligo, County Waterford that some of the pupils have had to use the old school; what steps he intends to take to relieve such overcrowding; and if he will give an account of the planning system used in his Department when decisions are being taken as to the size of new national schools about to be built.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Waterford School.
30.
When a new school is planned in any area my Department through its inspector with the co-operation of the local school manager and teachers gets up-to-date information as to the school-going population in the area and likely future trends in that regard.
In the case of Modeligo, County Waterford the new school has two classrooms and provides accommodation for 96 pupils. Due to the improvement made by me in recent years in the pupil/teacher ratio a third teacher was sanctioned in the school and one of the three teachers occupies a room in the old building. However, all the recent figures for enrolment and attendance at the school indicate that the services of the third teacher will not be required in the near future.