Vol. 230 No. 14
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the deplorable condition at the 115 year old national school at Newtown, Ballymacarberry, County Tipperary; and if, as the erection of a new building was mooted ten years ago and as finance and site are available, he will authorise the immediate erection of a new school there.
8.
(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Education when the building of a new school at Newtown, Ballymacarberry, Clonmel, County Tipperary will be commenced as money and site are available to replace the 115 year old existing school.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
My Department has been in correspondence with the Reverend Manager of Newtown national school, Ballymacarberry, about the replacement of the existing building by a new school. Since there are three other small schools in the area, the pupils of which could be catered for in a central school at Newtown, it is considered that the educational interests of the children and of the area would best be served by building a new large school at Newtown. I am hopeful that agreement to proposals in that regard will be reached very soon, and the arrangements for erecting a large new school building can then proceed with all possible speed.
In the meantime, I am satisfied that certain works, including the provision of water-flushed sanitation and improved heating, should be carried out to the existing building, to render it suitable until the new school has been built. My Department has sanctioned a grant towards the cost of these works.
Could the Minister give us any indication as to when the temporary repairs will commence and when the new school will in fact be erected?
As regards the temporary repairs, I cannot give an indication, except to say that a very substantial grant towards the estimated cost has been sanctioned. I think the initiative now lies locally in that regard. As regards the building of the new school the Minister for Education is hopeful that the arrangements to agree on the building of that school will be arrived at quite soon but as to the exact date, I am afraid I could not give it to the Deputy.
Would the Minister indicate if the erection of the new school at Newtown will in fact mean the closure of the two adjoining schools?
I think this could be so. Those would be small schools.
