asked the Minister for Education when work will commence on the building of the new vocational school at Navan, County Meath, and when it is expected to be completed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Second-Level Schools.
6.
Following an architectural briefing meeting held some time ago with representatives of the County Meath Vocational Education Committee, my Department are now awaiting from the committee an outline sketch scheme for the new vocational school at Navan. It is not possible at this stage to say when building work is likely to be completed.
7.
asked the Minister for Education when the proposal for the development of second-level education at Kells, County Meath, was submitted, the action taken so far and when it is expected the building work will commence.
Discussions have been held with the appropriate educational authorities on a proposal, made at the end of March 1977, to provide a new community school for all the boys of the area and to provide places for all the girls at the Convent of Mercy secondary school.
Discussion of the precise arrangements which will be made to implement this proposal has not yet been concluded and I am not, accordingly, in a position to say when the building work will commence.
Is the Minister aware that he said, in reply to a question on 2 May last year, that those discussions were about to commence? When does he expect them to be brought to a conclusion? Can any conclusion on them be reached before the matter of the deed of trust is settled?
The matter of the deed of trust is an important one but we can in the not too distant future come to a final decision on the development of post-primary education in Kells.
Has the matter of the local contribution been settled yet?
The matter of the local contribution in general has not been settled.
8.
asked the Minister for Education the progress made on the building of a new vocational school at Trim, County Meath, since his reply to a parliamentary question on the matter on 9 May 1978, and the date approval for this project was originally given.
My Department at present await the observations of the County Meath Vocational Education Committee in regard to a schedule of accommodation for its proposed new vocational school at Trim. Approval for this project was conveyed to the committee on 31 October 1978.
When does the Minister expect the building of the school to commence?
A good deal will depend on when I get the observations from the County Meath Vocational Education Committee. There will be no undue delay.
When were the County Meath Vocational Education Committee requested to provide those observations?
I approved the project on 31 October 1978. As I said, I am awaiting the observations of the County Meath Committee in regard to the schedule of accommodation.
Is it correct to say that the matter is entirely in the hands of the Meath Vocational Committee since October and it is up to them to come back to the Minister?
The Deputy is correct in saying that I am awaiting their observations on the schedule of accommodation.
9.
asked the Minister for Education the progress to date on the provision of a major extension to Nobber Vocational School since his reply to a parliamentary question on the matter on 23 May 1978 and when building is likely to commence.
A developed sketch scheme for the proposed extension of the permanent buildings at Nobber Vocational School is at present being examined in my Department's building unit. It is hoped to communicate the outcome of the examination to the County Meath Vocational Education Committee in the near future. It is not possible at the present stage to say when building is likely to commence.
10.
andMr. E. Collins asked the Minister for Education the second level education schools in which gymnasia will be provided during the next 12 months.
Since I announced my intention of resuming the programme for the provision of physical education facilities in second-level schools I have received and continue to receive a considerable volume of applications for capital allocations for physical education halls. I have advised a number of schools that their applications have been acceded to and I expect it will be possible to provide the buildings within the next 12 to 15 months. I am considering a number of other applications, including a backlog which accumulated during the previous administration. I shall advise the schools concerned of my decisions as soon as possible.
How many schools have had their request acceded to?
Eleven.
Could the Minister answer the question in more detail. He was asked the second level education schools in which gymnasia will be provided. He only told the House the number. Would he kindly indicate which of the 11 are to get sports facilities?
At the moment I cannot give the Deputy that information. I shall write to him and give him a list of the schools.
Can the Minister say if the school in Cabinteely is on the list?
It is not because it did not come under the criteria we laid down for the provision of physical education halls.
Could the Minister make available to schools which are not on the list for sports halls a copy of the criteria by which those allocated sports halls have been allocated them?
I mentioned them in the House already. One is that, as there had been a considerable backlog, we thought it was advisable to provide physical education halls where the builders were still on the sites as this would help to reduce the cost. Size is another one.
Is the Minister saying that none of those 11 schools forms part of what he describes as the backlog figure?
No, I am not saying that. I am saying that a number of them where building was in progress had been told when the schools were planned that they would not have physical education halls. I have changed that decision and have decided that they will have physical education halls.