I propose to take Questions Nos. 651 and 652 together. Regarding the provision of a new post-primary school on the east side of Galway city I refer the Deputy to my reply to her question, No. 702 of 11 March 1985. The spare capacity in Galway post-primary schools is of the order of 140 places according to the information available to the Department.
The Department would wish in an urban context such as this for a minimum of 500 pupil places required on a long-term basis and which were not available in existing schools, before it would provide a new school.
Some 1,160 pupils from the east side of Galway are attending post-primary schools in the city at present. Next September it is estimated that about 275 pupils for primary schools in that part of the city will enrol in post-primary schools. With regard to the provision of school transport, recognised post-primary pupils who reside at least three miles from their appropriate centre are eligible for school transport and may avail themselves of this facility subject to the conditions of the post-primary school transport scheme.
