Edward Nealon
Question:617 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the specifications of a contract now being awarded for a two roomed extension to St. John's national school, Ballisodare, County Sligo were drawn up a number of years ago when the school had just become a five teacher school, that the situation has now changed dramatically with the increased number of pupils now attending and the increase in the number of teachers to six plus a remedial teacher, that ten new local authority houses have just commenced building opposite the school with the expectation of a further increase in pupils from this source? Is she aware that unlike most areas of County Sligo, this is an area of a rapidly increasing population; has her attention been further drawn to the fact that, at present, three classes are taught in the main school building, one class in a 23 year old pre-fab, one class in a rented portacabin, that the remedial teacher who commenced work in September 1993, is teaching in a girls cloakroom, that the school has no staff room, storage facilities, library or medical room and that, in view of all of these exceptional circumstances, the contract for the two room extension will still leave facilities at St. John's grossly inadequate for the present and future needs? As a practical decision, will she now authorise the inclusion of the extra accommodation needed without holding back the existing contract?
