asked the Minister for Education the present position on the appointment of assistant teachers and on the provision of additional classrooms in primary schools.
3.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Primary School Facilities.
2.
asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that many teachers and pupils in primary schools have not adequate classroom accommodation; and if she has proposals to deal with this situation.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
With regard to the provision of additional classrooms in national schools, and the improvement of classrooms which are considered to be inadequate, the Rules for National Schools make provision on the application of school authorities for granting financial assistance towards the cost of building, enlarging or otherwise improving such schools. Currently my Department, with the Commissioners of Public Works, are dealing with approximately 800 applications for financial assistance towards the cost of building and enlarging national schools, and a similar number of applications for financial assistance towards improvement of existing national school accommodation. In the current financial year a sum of £28.75 million is being made available for these purposes.
Have the Department a policy in regard to providing conventional-type classrooms by way of additional accommodation rather than supplying pre-fab buildings?
Most of the pre-fab buildings were provided before I took office. They were usually provided in cases of emergency. It is the policy of the Department to endeavour, in so far as possible within the resources available, to provide conventional-type accommodation for primary schools.
I am glad to hear the Minister say that that is the policy of the Department. Would he accept that in many instances when a prefabricated classroom arrives in a small two-teacher school people feel that that school will be closed down or amalgamated with a larger school? Is he aware that that is the feeling of the communities in rural areas?
I am aware that could very well be the feeling and that those feelings in some instances may be justified. The fact is that prefabricated buildings are provided in many schools where urgent extensions are needed to cater for increased numbers at primary level and it would not be in any way right to take a blanket view that the provision of pre-fabricated buildings would mean the school was to close down. I accept that there are isolated incidents of where the prefabricated buildings are provided and it is an indication that the schools will be amalgamated with other schools. This is a very rare occurrence.