asked the Minister for Education whether it is proposed to acquire a new site for a new amalgamated school at Killybrone, Emyvale; if so, where; and when it will be acquired.
59.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - County Monaghan Schools.
58.
asked the Minister for Education whether it is proposed to close Knockcomman national school, County Monaghan.
60.
asked the Minister for Education what are the long-term proposals for Deravoy national school, County Monaghan, in view of the large expenditure in recent years on its repair and in view of the fact that its enrolment would qualify it as a three teacher school.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 to 60 together as they all relate to schools in the same parish. A number of alternative proposals have been put forward as to how the children of the parish might be catered for in the matter of national school education. The most recent of these proposals is that the Killybrone and Aughamacklin pupils should be catered for in a central school to be built at Clara near Killybrone and that the Bragan school should be amalgamated with the school at Deravoy. This proposal is at present being examined and I hope to have a decision on it very shortly.
No question of closing Knockcomman school in the near future has arisen.
Pardon?
The proposal which has emerged from the various discussions with which the Deputy is familiar is at present being examined and is virtually certain to be adopted. This is the compromise proposal of which the Deputy is aware. We shall have a decision on that very shortly. In addition, there is no question at all of the Knockcomman school being closed.
It is to avoid the necessity of bringing children a very long distance and having to cross the Border that we want this.
This will be taken into consideration in discussions with the Department. At the moment we are doing precisely what the Deputy has mentioned.