Vol. 374 No. 9
asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to (a) the present state of repair of the national school at Lisdowney, County Kilkenny, (b) the fact that the teachers are refusing to teach in a building which was condemned some years ago as unfit for teaching and (c) the fact that parents have refused to allow their children attend; the action, if any, she proposes to take in the matter; and if she will make a statement on the apparent deadlock.
188.
asked the Minister for education the present position regarding provision of an extension to Lisdowney national school, Ballyragget, County Kilkenny; and when work will commence on the project.
I propose to deal with Questions Nos. 12 and 188 together.
The Deputies are no doubt aware that there is a proposal to replace the national school building at Lisdowney, County Kilkenny, which is of prefabricated construction, with a new building of conventional construction. Tenders have been invited for the new building and examined in my Department, but because of prior commitments and the pressure which these commitments have placed on the capital resources available to my Department it was not possible at the appropriate time to authorise the placing of a contract. My attention has been drawn to the aspects of the matter referred to in Deputy Flanagan's question.
Lisdowney is one of several national schools whose accommodation problems are particularly acute. These projects have been held up at the stage where in less difficult times the school authorities might have entertained reasonable hopes of having by now had their contracts placed. The authorities in each case have made representations to me regarding their difficulties and I have indicated that I am prepared to respond with short term relief in the way of refurbishing existing accommodation or providing prefabricated classrooms as appropriate. I have also indicated that I would sympathetically respond to these schools' own initiatives for a solution to their difficulties provided what they propose is reasonable and can be achieved at modest cost.
Discussions with the authorities of Lisdowney national school are proceeding, and I am hopeful of a satisfactory outcome in due course. It would not be true to describe the position as one of deadlock.
I am not in a position in the circumstances outlined to say at this stage when work may commence on the Lisdowney project.
