Vol. 238 No. 16
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that the sanitary arrangements at Saint John the Baptist girls' national school, Seafield Road, Clontarf, Dublin, are in a very bad condition; and if he will take steps to have them put in proper order.
47.
asked the Minister for Education the cause of the delay in completing the building of the new school at Seafield Road, Clontarf, Dublin.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 47 together.
My information is that the sanitary accommodation in Saint John the Baptist Girls' National School, Clontarf, is adequate and that the system, though not up to modern standards, is in satisfactory working order. It may be, however, that some works of a maintenance nature require to be carried out. I am having enquiries made in this regard and shall take whatever steps may be necessary to ensure that there will be no reasonable cause for complaint during the few months in which the present school building will remain in use.
The new school at present being built at Seafield Road, Clontarf, will replace the existing Saint John the Baptist Senior Girls' and Infant National Schools. The contract for this building was placed in August, 1966, and provided for the completion of the building within two years. I understand, however, that progress on the building was rather slow in the earlier stages, and that a decision by my Department in June, 1968, to provide at the request of the parents accommodation additional to that covered by the original tender occasioned further delay in completing the building. I am informed that it is now expected that the building will be completed early in May of this year.
Perhaps the Minister is satisfied with the sanitary conditions in the school but I can assure him the people in the area are not. I am sure his colleague, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, who represents that area, has received several complaints. I do not know how the Minister can consider the sanitary conditions adequate. In regard to the new school——
We cannot have a debate on this. Has the Deputy a question to put?
Does the Minister not agree that the progress on the building of the new school has been very slow and will he not take steps to see that it is completed within a reasonably short time?
The Deputy is jumping the gun a bit. The Electoral Bill is not passed yet.
The Minister's intention is to have any repairs carried out which are necessary to keep the system in adequate order until May when the new school will be available.
I hope he will.
