asked the Minister for Education the reason the Holy Spirit national school, Silloge Road, Ballymun, Dublin, was refused a grant for audiovisual equipment; and if he will consider a scheme for priority areas for the allocation of all future funds under various grant schemes, priority being given to areas of noted deprivation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Audio-Visual Equipment.
258.
Dublin South-East): As the Deputy has already been informed, the number of applications received for grants under the Audio-Visual Aids scheme in 1982 exceeded the total funds available. It was decided, therefore, that priority be given to schools which had not received a grant under the scheme in 1980 or 1981. The Holy Spirit school received such a grant in each of those years and it was not found possible to allocate a grant again to the school in 1982.
In the general administration of this and other grant schemes under my Department, I am satisfied that the needs of the schools in disadvantaged areas are taken fully into account and grant-aided, insofar as its practicable. There are no proposals at present to modify the existing procedures relating to these schemes.