asked the Minister for Education if she will amend the regulation to allow two teacher schools to qualify for the higher rate of grant for the installation of oil fired central heating; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - School Heating.
240.
The Deputy's question is taken to refer to national schools and raises two separate issues, namely, the rate of grant for the instalment of heating systems in two-teacher national schools, and the Department's policy and practice in relation to which type of heating system it will grant-aid in two-teacher national schools.
As to the first of these issues, the rules for national schools set out that the amount of the grant sanctioned for building, improvement and furnishing national schools is normally two-thirds of the cost of carrying out the works. The rules also set out that in exceptionally poor localities the Minister may make a larger grant than the normal two-thirds, and this stipulation may be availed of as necessary by national school authorities to negotiate a more favourable rate of local contribution. There is no proposal to amend this regulation. Having regard to the long-standing policy on the part of my Department not to replace one-teacher and two-teacher national schools, capital grants to such schools are confined to the minimum necessary to maintain essential amenities, which include heating. Where the original heating system in a small national school requires to be replaced, it has generally been found that the most efficient and cheapest replacement system is by way of electrical storage heating. Exceptions have been made where there was evidence that the capital cost of bringing electrical power to a school was excessive and that the provision of an oil-fired system would work out more cheaply. Such instances are now becoming fewer. It is not my Department's intention to alter its current policy or approach in this matter and each application is dealt with on its merits.