asked the Minister for Education if he will state (a) the number of schools built, and (b) the number of schools reconstructed during the periods 1922-1932 and 1932-1947; and also if he will indicate the cost to the State of this work in each of the above periods.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Building of Schools.
The following is the information asked for by the Deputy:—
Period from 1st April, 1922 to 31st March, 1932.
Number of schools erected, 182; number of major improvement schemes completed, 315. Total expenditure by the State on grants for the erection, enlarging and improving of schools, £689,330.
Period from 1st April, 1932 to 31st March, 1947.
Number of schools erected, 483; number of major improvement schemes completed, 902. Total expenditure by the State on grants for the erection, enlarging and improvement of schools, £2,649,017.
The total expenditure given for each of these periods includes not alone the cost of the erection of new schools and of major improvement schemes for existing schools, but also the cost of minor grant works. I am not in a position to state the cost of new schools and of major improvement schemes only. The ascertainment of this information would involve a considerable amount of work and expenditure of official time which, I feel, would not be justified.