asked the Minister for Education the contents of the recent Departmental circular issued to secondary school authorities concerning building applications and payment of grants.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - School Building Grants.
87.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to have circulated with the Official Report a copy of the circular referred to. The purpose of the circular was to inform a minority of the schools at present seeking a building grant that it would not be possible to include their building projects within the financial allocation up to 31st March, 1971. These were also informed that where accommodation is required for next September to cater for an increase in enrolments, a grant will be paid towards the cost of providing pre-fabricated accommodation.
Following is the circular:
I am to refer to your application for a grant in respect of the proposed building development at the above-named school.
The Department is at present faced with hundreds of secondary school building applications, the bulk of them involving the provision of urgently needed new school places. The programme of secondary school building in any year must be related to the amount of capital allocated for the purpose and in view of the very large number of building projects that have been submitted to the Department, it has become necessary to defer replacement of existing accommodation and the provision of Halls/Gymnasia until the extra accommodation needed for increasing numbers of pupils is provided. Furthermore such classroom and other accommodation as is approved must be provided in stages of building in accordance with need.
The Department has endeavoured in this way to make provision for the maximum number of projects possible within the available financial allocation for the present financial year and the anticipated allocation for the coming financial year (1970/71). Inevitably, however, in the circumstances mentioned there are many cases which cannot be provided for immediately and these will be catered for in succeeding financial years. In any such case, where it is established to the satisfaction of the Department that additional accommodation is required to cater for an increase in pupil enrolments as from September, 1970, a grant will be paid towards the cost of providing prefabricated classrooms, to be retained until the completion of the approved building scheme. Application for consideration for such temporary accommodation must be received not later than 31st December.
I regret to say that your building project is among those towards which the Department has not found it possible to allocate funds during 1969-70 or 1970-71. Every effort will be made to accommodate it within the financial year 1971-72 but it will be some time before it will be possible to reach a decision in relation to the projects to be included for that year.
Mise, le meas, T. Breathnach.
May I take it from the Minister that he will give priority in consideration of building applications and allocation of grants to those secondary schools that have collaborated with him in the attempt to create free secondary school education?
I will give priority to cases where priority is appropriate.
Is the Minister discriminating?
No, there is no question of discrimination.
Would the Minister give us some idea of the extent to which there has been a cutback in such grants?
There is not a cutback.
A deferment.
No. The Deputy is well aware of the facts regarding the scheme of free post-primary education and the enormous demands——
I accept that but the intention of the circular was to defer——
Yes, but only in certain cases——
——which is otherwise known as a cutback.
No, it is not. Suppose you gave 100 grants in one year and that there were applications for 160 in the next year and you gave 125, would that be a cutback?
A cutback on intended projections.
I think we are doing reasonably well.
Yes, and you are to be congratulated.
Thank you.