asked the Minister for Education when he received a report on the adequacy or otherwise of primary school accommodation in County Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin School Accommodation.
31.
Reports on the adequacy of primary school accommodation are made on an individual parish or locality basis. Overall records on a county basis are not maintained in my Department.
Is the Minister aware of the very serious situation all over County Dublin? I am sure that the Minister is aware of the 80,000 increase revealed in the recent census of population and 55,000 of these people are in County Dublin. In areas like Tallaght there is a whole new population of people paying for their houses and they are not able to contribute anything to the cost of a school site. Sites are costing a minimum of £20,000. The Minister will not consider a proposition for a grant unless there is a clear title to a site first.
The Deputy will appreciate that I have to concern myself with the need for school buildings all over the country. A considerable amount of money is being made available for primary school building, but, nevertheless, the money is limited. I am endeavouring to do my best on a priority basis with the money available to me. In so far as Dublin County is concerned we regularly examine the situation in regard to the needs.
Is the Minister aware that there is a very serious difficulty here which the authorities responsible are not able to overcome without special assistance on account of the very rapidly developing situation? It is not right for a Minister to say that more money than heretofore is being spent. There has been less spent under this heading in the last year than in the previous year—about £300,000 less.
In relation to the various projects each school and each area is examined on its merits.
The Minister is not being helpful. He is not recognising the special difficulty. A case must be made.
I am calling Question No. 32.