asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the delays in sanctioning approval for grant arrangements, including the schedule of accommodation, for secondary schools, and of the great difficulties created by this delay for school authorities in planning building programmes; and if he will expedite a decision on the applications submitted to his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Secondary School Grants.
63.
I am not aware that there has been delay on the part of my Department in dealing with the large number of applications under the scheme of grants for building secondary schools received within a short period after the announcement of the scheme.
The Deputy will appreciate that the consideration of each individual application takes some time and that it would not be possible to deal with all the applications simultaneously. Accordingly, some time will inevitably elapse before certain of them, particularly the later applications, can arise for consideration. The length of time in any individual case will, of course, also depend on the extent to which it is necessary to have further information supplied in regard to the application.
The applications are being and will continue to be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.