Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 1995

Vol. 451 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ballyfermot (Dublin) Resource Centre.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

83 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education the role of her Department in relation to the proposed closing down of the Ballyfermot Resource Centre located in a former wing of the Dominican Convent national school, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10; if her attention has been drawn to the value of the resource centre in the Ballyfermot area; if the premises occupied by the resource centre will continue to be occupied by it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6668/95]

Tony Gregory

Question:

96 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education the reasons her Department wants the Kylemore Community Training Workshop to vacate its premises on Ballyfermot Road, Dublin 10, by July 1995; if her attention has been drawn to the essential work being done by the workshop; and the assistance, if any, her Department can offer to enable the workshop to fund the cost of refurbishment of alternative premises or, alternatively, if she will review the decision to take back these premises. [6543/95]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 96 together.

My Department agreed in 1988 to allow the Dominican Sisters to lease St. Michael's national school building to the Ballyfermot Resource Centre for a ten year period on condition that the building could be taken back at any time if the need for extra primary school accommodation in that area arose. My Department has not sought the vacation of these premises since that time. However, it has not been in a position to give any guarantees in regard to long term tenure because of potential school accommodation requirements.

The Dominican Sisters have very recently indicated to my Department that the board of management of the resource centre has decided to surrender the lease as from 31 July 1995.

At present there is a need to assess the overall primary school accommodation needs of the area and my Department's inspectors are carrying out a survey in this regard. The Dominican authorities have recently been informed that until this survey has been completed and evaluated it will not be possible to give any definite indication of the longer-term availability of the St. Michael's premises to the resource centre.