Vol. 296 No. 11
asked the Minister for Education if he will agree to the appointment of a board of management, a principal and a vice-principal for the proposed new primary school at Martello, Portmarnock, County Dublin to allow the school to operate from July 1977 even in temporary accommodation pending the construction of the new school building.
22.
asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the urgency of the situation, he will speed up the commencement of work on the new school at Martello Estate, Portmarnock, County Dublin.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
I am aware of the urgent need for the provision of national school accommodation in the Martello estate area of Portmarnock, County Dublin. The preparation of sketch plans for a 16 classroom school has been authorised by my Department, and I may assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to expedite the arrangements for the erection of the school.
In the meantime, I have arranged to have an inspector from my Department, in consultation with the appropriate local interests, investigate the possibility of opening the school in temporary accommodation pending the construction of the new school.
The question of appointing a board of management and of the appropriate staff will be considered in due course in connection with the opening of the school.
Will there be a new school available in July of this year?
The provision of temporary accommodation and its location is a matter for the management authorities in the area. The inspector will have the various local contacts in the very near future and after that one will be in a better position to make a definite statement. I am reasonably optimistic.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say when he expects work to commence on the building of the school in Portmarnock?
The man acting in place of the manager was authorised in December, 1976, to appoint an architect to prepare sketch plans for the first 16 classrooms. The next move is for the architect to consult the architectural school section of the Office of Public Works and then submit the plans to the Department of Education from the point of view of suitability.
These plans have not yet been submitted. Planning is as yet at an early stage and it would not be possible for me at the moment to give any definite date.
Has the Parliamentary Secretary any knowledge of some dispute between the Office of Public Works and the parish authorities concerning the size of the school and can this be clarified so that things will start moving?
I understand the Office of Public Works has been asked to report on the suitability of the site but I have no indication that there is a dispute.
