asked the Minister for Education the most recent grant paid to a voluntary secondary school for a sports hall.
55.
Written Answers. - School Sports Halls.
54.
asked the Minister for Education the number of sports halls built over the past five years and the voluntary secondary, vocational and community schools which benefited.
56.
asked the Minister for Education the number of sports halls built with the aid of Department grants since the introduction of building grants to voluntary secondary schools, and the location of each.
I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take questions Nos. 54, 55 and 56 together.
I assume that by the term physical education hall the Deputy means the type of hall in which games such as basketball, volleyball and badminton can be played, as distinct from the smaller type of hall or assembly area which can be used to a limited extent only for gymnastics and games. I assume also that the questions in as far as they relate to voluntary secondary schools confine themselves to halls for which grants were sought under the secondary schools building grants scheme.
The total number of physical education halls built over the past five years in the various categories of schools mentioned is as follows: Vocational schools: 2; Community schools: 8.
As to secondary schools, the Department do not have as a matter of official record a complete list of physical education halls built by secondary schools over the last five years. A grant was paid in 1977 in respect of a hall provided by a Kilkenny secondary school. This is the only hall to have been aided under the terms of the secondary schools building grants scheme.