asked the Minister for Education the total number of primary schools in need of (1) major repairs and (2) replacement.
123.
Written Answers . - Primary Schools .
122.
asked the Minister for Education the average number of new schools provided in each year from 1967 to 1977.
124.
asked the Minister for Education the average number of primary schools which need replacement in each year.
125.
asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools, if any, unfit for habitation.
: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 123, 124 and 125 together. A complete architectural survey of national schools would be necessary to supply the information requested. I have arranged, however, for a survey to be made by inspectors of my Department so that a full list may be prepared of schools in which conditions might be regarded as being unsatisfactory, and I shall examine the situation in the light of the information provided by that survey.
The average number of new primary schools, which may be regarded as approximating to the number which needed to be replaced in the period in question is 52.
126.
asked the Minister for Education the total number of primary schools in the country.
: The number of national schools at the commencement of the current school year was 3,453.
127.
asked the Minister for Education if he will give details of the grants made available in the years 1976, 1977 and 1978, for the provision of new primary schools, and the amount of granted funds made available, in the years 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.
: The provision for primary school building and the actual expenditure in the years in question was as follows:
|
Year |
Provision in the Estimates |
Actual Expenditure |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
1974 (April-December) |
7,530,000 |
7,590,579 |
|
1975 |
11,000,000 |
10,988,577 |
|
1976 |
12,000,000 |
10,177,317 |
|
1977 |
13,500,000 |
13,936,827 |
|
1978 |
14,300,000 |
A breakdown of expenditure as between new schools, extensions and other works is not readily available.
128.
asked the Minister for Education the average net gain in building stock of primary schools in each of the years 1957, 1967 and 1977.
: The stock of schools in operation on 30 June of each of the three years in question was as follows:
|
1957 |
— |
4,893 |
|
1967 |
— |
4,685 |
|
1977 |
— |
3,468 |
The decrease in the number of schools arises mainly from the implementation of the policy of the amalgamation of small schools to form larger school units.