asked the Minister for Education the total number of primary school students for whom it is proposed to provide accommodation in the Rivermount parish, Finglas South, Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Student Accommodation.
1.
The total number is 1,920 in three schools.
The Minister said 1,920. I asked the Minister to indicate the total number of primary school students for whom it is proposed to provide accommodation in this area. Is it proposed to provide three schools now? I thought it was only two.
It is proposed to provide three schools. The second and third schools will occupy the same site which is in the St. Helen's estate area. The second school is in the course of erection and is understood to be half completed. A grant has been sanctioned for the third school and the working drawings are being examined at present in the Office of Public Works.
Will the Minister indicate the present position regarding those students for whom accommodation is required and for whom it is not possible to provide it?
As I have said, the second school is in the course of erection and is understood to be half completed. I understood originally that it would come into operation in September of this year but it will probably be some time after that date. The third school is at the planning stage. I understand that will cater for the number of pupils at the moment but not from 1978-79 onwards.
At the moment the situation is that children are being ferried out of that area. Having regard to the erratic nature of the primary education which they are receiving, will the Minister say if when they get facilities in their own area it might be possible to have a look at the situation and see if there are any compensations that might be offered to them having regard to the unusual and, perhaps, unorthodox fashion of their education?
The transport out of the area will cease when the second school is opened and the children will attend the second primary school. I am not sure what the Deputy means by compensation afterwards.
I am sure the Minister will accept that ordinarily children should be educated in their own parish and pursue the curriculum as happens in other schools. Some of these children have completed the second year of their course in one school and they spend the third year in another school. There has been this uncomfortable transport of students from one school to another. I thought that when things settled down the possibility that the children might have suffered in the process would be considered.
In rural areas children are transported much greater distances. A Deputy spoke to me the night before last and told me that it was proposed to transport children 18 miles.
The Minister will accept that there is no comparison in the situation where secondary school students are transported——
I am talking about primary schools.
Will the Minister state if that is a temporary or a permanent feature?
It will not happen in view of the announcement I made in February but it was the proposal that they be transported for 18 miles. Primary school students are transported for long distances where schools have been amalgamated.
I will allow a final supplementary on this question. We are dwelling too long on this matter.
The Minister has made a case that there must be a sufficient number of students to have a viable school. In this instance there are 1,900 students and there is only one school. Surely there is an obligation on us to have schools available for these pupils immediately?
That is being done.
It is taking quite a while.
It was envisaged that the second school would be ready for occupation by September but it may take a little longer as it is only half completed now. The third school is at the planning stage and it will go ahead immediately. These schools will cater for the 1,900 pupils.
Question No. 2 postponed.