Vol. 472 No. 1
214 Ms M. Fox asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide a sports hall for Scoil Chonglais, Baltinglass, County Wicklow, in view of the fact that it has been waiting 14 years for such a facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22664/96]
It is the policy of my Department to provide physical education facilities on a phased basis at all second level schools where such facilities are not already available. The principal factor which determines progress in this area is the amount of capital funding available in any given financial year.
It is not possible at this stage, therefore, to indicate when a sports hall can be provided at Scoil Chonglais, Baltinglass, County Wicklow.
215 Ms M. Fox asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide adequate sports facilities for Dublin Institute of Technology students which are currently nonexistent, to bring them in line with other educational institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22665/96]
At present students attending Dublin Institute of Technology have access to indoor sports facilities in Bolton Street and Kevin Street and to outdoor playing fields at Terenure and Whitehall.
Dublin Institute of Technology in consultation with my Department, is at present actively pursuing the acquisition of additional property which would facilitate the development of long-term recreational facilities for the institute.
While I recognise the importance of providing sports and leisure facilities in all third level colleges, including the Dublin Institute of Technology, the funding available for such developments has to be considered in the context of the many demands on scarce capital resources.
