asked the Minister for Education if he will have a survey made of vacant rooms in primary schools in the Dublin area with a view to their use in improving the pupil-teacher ratio.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Pupil-Teacher Ratio.
16.
Mr. R. Burke
A survey of the kind suggested by the Deputy was instituted by my Department two years ago and it is regularly brought up-to-date. The object of the survey however is to use such surplus accommodation as may be available in some areas of Dublin city to ease the problems of other areas where primary school accommodation is for the time being inadequate to meet requirements.
Improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools were made in the school-years 1973-74 and 1974-75. That it was not found possible to make a further improvement for the year 1975-76 is attributable to causes other than inadequacy of accommodation in particular schools.
Did the Minister say he was doing a survey?
Mr. R. Burke
It was instituted two years ago and it is brought regularly up to date.
There is evidence that there are some rooms vacant. Some people were in to see me who had lists. I agree with the Minister that you cannot improve the ratio without the buildings as well as the teachers.