asked the Minister for Education if he will state, in relation to the announcement by him at columns 2566-2567 of the Official Report for 29 June 1978, (a) the nature of the increased assistance awarded to all-Irish primary schools; (b) the criteria under which such assistance is awarded; (c) the number of all-Irish schools which have availed of such assistance in connection with the purchase of sites, and the name and address of each such school; (d) the date on which each such school applied for, and received assistance towards the cost of a site; (e) the proportion of the total site cost accounted for by the grant in each case; (f) if assistance towards the purchase of sites, for all-Irish schools was available under the previous administration, and, if so, the terms.
Written Answers. - All-Irish Primary Schools.
494.
(a) An additional bonus amounting to 50 per cent of the rate of the capitation grant payable to all national schools was paid to the all-Irish national schools in June 1978 in respect of the school year 1977-78.
(b) This bonus is payable to all-Irish schools which are recognised under the terms of Rule 24 of the Rules for National Schools.
(c) and (d) Applications have been 0received and negotiations are at present in train for the purchase of sites for two national schools for Irish-speaking children at Rathcoole, County Dublin, and Bray, County Wicklow. The arrangements in this regard are regarded as confidential between the Department of Education and the school authorities concerned.