asked the Minister for Education if he will outline the status of the Blackpool Secondary Top School, Cork, and the future plans for this school in respect of the teaching staff, pupils, teacher-pupil ratio and board of management, if in view of the special students catered for, a remedial teacher will be provided, if the school's future development will be affected by the provision of a second level school at Dublin Hill; if the situation at the Blackpool school is indicative of a change of policy in relation to disadvantaged schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Blackpool (Cork) Secondary School.
225.
Blackpool Secondary Top School was established in 1968 and was granted provisional recognition by my Department in order to provide second-level education for pupils in the Blackpool area, pending the organisation of post-primary educational facilities in that particular area of Cork city.
Alternative second-level facilities are now available in the northern area of Cork city. There are pupil places available in the new Knocknaheeny Vocational School, and it is intended to provide a new post-primary school for the Dublin Hill/Glen/Ballyvolane area. It was in this context that the future of the Blackpool Secondary Top School arose for consideration.
I stated in my reply to Question No. 178 on 20 March that there would be no decision taken in this matter without consultation with the local interests. In this regard I am considering a report from an inspector of my Department who attended a meeting recently at which the future of the secondary top division of the school was discussed by various local interests.
I may assure the Deputy that the views of the parents will be given the fullest consideration. In this regard also I desire to state that I would consider it inappropriate for me at this stage to offer any observations on the future of Blackpool Secondary Top National School in the context of the provision of the new post-primary school planned for the Dublin Hill area of the city. The detailed questions in relation to the future staffing et cetera of Blackpool Secondary Top National School and the new school planned for the Dublin Hill area could only be answered in connection with the relevant decisions to be taken in due course in relation to these schools.