asked the Minister for Education the present position regarding the provision of a sports hall at Scoil Mhuire community school, Clane, County Kildare; if her attention has been drawn to the needs for such a provision in this school which caters for almost 800 students; if approval has been given for similar projects in recent times; if she will urgently consider this request in the near future; if it is expected to meet this request within the context of the 1989 Estimates for her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Clane (County Kildare) Sports Hall.
254.
I intend to make sports hall facilities available in all post-primary schools including Clane community school. However, the timing of their provision must have regard to capital availability and my Department's other commitments and priorities.
My Department have before them at present a very large number of applications for second level school building projects involving the provision of urgently needed classroom accommodation and also a large number of applications for sports halls.
The capital allocation to my Department is not adequate to meet all these demands and in that situation, the available financial resources must be reserved for the provision of essential classroom accommodation. It is not possible for my Department, at present, to indicate when it might be in a position to approve the provision of a sports hall for Clane community school.
In 1988 it was only possible to approve the provision of a limited number of sports halls for second level schools under the terms of the recreational facilities scheme. The provision of sports halls will be reviewed in the context of the capital resources available for second level building projects in 1989.