Vol. 399 No. 3
156 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if she will make a statement regarding the future plans for Scoil Bríde Primary School, Knockmay, County Laois, having regard to the verbal commitment given by her to a delegation from the parents council on 1 March 1989; if such commitments have now been withdrawn; if so, the reason for such withdrawal; and if she will clarify matters in the interests of concerned parents, teachers and pupils.
When I met the delegation referred to by the Deputy in 1989 what I decided was that, in order to relieve an immediate national school accommodation problem in the Portlaoise area, Knockmay national school would be allowed to retain the pupils then in second standard in the school in a third standard with effect from the following school year. I also decided to have the whole question of national school accommodation in the Portlaoise area examined by my Department in consultation with the authorities of the local schools. That examination was carried out and having carefully considered its results I have decided that Knockmay national school be allowed to retain a third standard in the school; pupils transfer from Knockmay national school to Portlaoise schools for fourth class onwards; no further expansion of Knockmay national school for the present; the situation be kept under review in the light of demographic trends in the Portlaoise area.
I thrust this clarifies the situation for the Deputy.
