Vol. 432 No. 2
118 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education when her attention was first drawn to the requirement for extra school places at Maynooth Post-Primary School, County Kildare; when she expects to be in a position to respond favourably to the request; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
119 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the estimated number of applicants likely to be refused places at Maynooth Post-Primary School, County Kildare at the beginning of the 1993-94 school year due to the fact that insufficient places exist at this school; the way in which she expects to meet this requirement either now or in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
126 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the optimum space per student is lacking at Maynooth Post-Primary School, County Kildare, in the event of all applicants being admitted for the next term; the extent to which she will be or expects to be in a position to meet such requirements from the 1993 Estimate; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 119 and 126 together.
The post-primary accommodation needs of developing areas such as Maynooth are reviewed periodically within my Department. The most recent application for extra school places in Maynooth Vocational School was submitted by County Kildare Vocational Education Committee to my Department in March 1992. An initial offer of additional accommodation, to address the schools immediate needs, made in June 1992, was not accepted by the Committee.
In January 1993, my Department received further details in support of the Committee's proposal for extra accommodation at the Maynooth School. A new offer of extra accommodation was made to County Kildare Vocational Education Committee last April. The present position is as stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 207 of 25 May 1993.
My Department is not aware that any children from within the Maynooth Post Primary catchment area have been refused a place in Maynooth Vocational School for the 1993-94 school year. Children living in areas outside the Maynooth Post Primary catchment area may have been refused places in Maynooth Vocational School. However, the school is under no obligation to admit such pupils.
