asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of the new Protestant school which is proposed for Clonmel, County Tipperary, the date of approval; the area, exact location and cost of the site; the total cost of the project; when building is expected to commence; the proposed date of occupation; the number of pupils to be catered for and the number of teachers to be engaged; and if he will set out the precise obligations, particularly those relating to the local contribution and the preparation and submission of layout plans, which devolve upon the promoters of this project.
Written Answers. - Clonmel Protestant School.
525.
Sanction for the provision of a new national school for Protestant pupils in Clonmel was given by my Department on 4 November 1977.
A site at Mary Street has been offered and the Commissioners of Public Works will report to my Department as to its suitability. I have no information as to its cost.
As this project is only in its initial stages, I am not in a position to say what the total cost may be, when building will commence or when the new building will be ready for occupation.
Present indications are that a school having accommodation in two standard classrooms with a staff of two teachers will be sufficient to meet immediate and future requirements. Such a building would give accommodation for 50 pupils but it would seem that enrolments will be appreciably lower than that figure.
Arrangement with regard to the planning of the school, and the placing of a building contract, will be carried out by the Commissioners of Public Works.
The local contribution to be made towards the cost of the school will be decided following discussions with the representative of the patron of the school, after an estimate of cost has been provided by the Commissioners of Public Works.