asked the Minister for Education whether he is now in a position to state when approximately the new school at Bishopstown, Cork, will be erected, and whether, in view of extensive building schemes in that area, he will give special consideration to the problem of providing additional school accommodation for the extra 300 children.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bishopstown (Cork) New School.
As I informed the Deputy in reply to his previous question on the 29th February, 1956, the preliminary arrangements for the erection of the proposed new school for infant boys and girls at Bishopstown, near Cork City, are in the hands of the Commissioners of Public Works.
Because of the increasingly heavy programme of work in connection with the building of new schools and the enlargement and improvement of existing schools which the commissioners have on hands and of the pressure on their architectural staff there is inevitably considerable delay in completing the preparations which have to be made by the commissioners in the many cases in which grants have been sanctioned by my Department in order to enable contracts to be placed. It will take some time yet to bring the case of the new school at Bishopstown to the stage at which tenders can be invited, but every effort will be made to expedite matters as far as possible.
I am unable to say at present when work on the erection of the school will be commenced.
I wonder if the Minister is aware that the position is so serious that the manager has in mind the reopening of the condemned schools which were closed some time ago in order to deal with the problem? The position is very serious.