Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 1

Written Answers. - Schools Building Projects.

Seán Crowe

Question:

254 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 421 of 29 January 2003, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that St. Davaddog's primary school, Tamney Fanad, Letterkenny, County Donegal, seven miles from St. Patrick's, Doaghbeg, has just been sanctioned for funding to the amount of ?100,000 for the erection of two portacabins as temporary accommodation, and that the local community is mystified as to the reason the Government can contemplate closing St. Patrick's, a school that is structurally sound, while at the same time allocating a vast sum to another school in the same locality for temporary accommodation; the reason for the different policy towards these two schools; and if his Department will meet with local community representatives on the issue. [3221/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey):

As I have already advised the Deputy, the position regarding St. Patrick's national school, Doaghbeg, is that due to declining enrolments, currently seven, the future viability of the school is under consideration in my Department at present.

In regard to St. Davaddog's national school, the position is that due to increasing enrolments the school authorities have applied to my Department for additional temporary accommodation to meet the immediate needs of the school. Tenders for the provision of temporary accommodation have been received in my Department but have not yet been accepted.

It is not considered by my Department that the accommodation needs of St. Davaddog's could be met by the use of the St. Patrick's building, given the distance between the two schools, but if the Deputy is informing me that parents of pupils attending St. Davaddog's NS are willing to make this journey, I will arrange for officials in my Department to meet them.