asked the Minister for Education the present position regarding the provision of a new national school at Allen, County Kildare; the plans, if any, she has regarding the urgent need for extra facilities there; if works will be undertaken in 1988; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Kildare New Schools.
94.
Working drawings have been prepared for the proposed new school at Allen, Co. Kildare. It will not, however, be possible to advance this project further at present because of the pressure on my Department's 1988 capital provision for national school building.
My Department have been in contact with the school authorities regarding the provision of suitable temporary accommodation.
95.
asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a post-primary school at Kill, County Kildare, having particular regard to the pressure on school places in the area; her views on whether facilities should be provided in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The Deputy will be aware that Kill is in the Naas post-primary catchment area.
In 1985 my Department undertook a thorough appraisal of the future post-primary needs of the Kill area. This appraisal showed clearly that the number of pupils seeking post-primary education in the immediate Kill area could not sustain a post-primary school of a reasonable size. The most recent statistical data available supports this conclusion. My Department, therefore, is of the view that pupils from the Kill area can best be catered for by the three existing post-primary schools in Naas.
In this regard, additional accommodation for each of these schools has been approved.
96.
asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an extension to Ardclough national school, County Kildare; if her Department has had any recent discussions with local interests in the matter; when work will commence on the extension; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
A revised sketch scheme for the proposed extension to Ardclough national school, County Kildare is under consideration in my Department. However, because of pressure on the capital resources available to my Department in 1988 for national school building, it will not be possible for the present to further advance the planning of this project. Officers of my Department have been in touch with the school authorities in connection with improvements to electrical works which will need to be carried out in the existing building pending its proposed extension. Consultations in the matter are proceeding with a view to offering appropriate financial assistance to the school.
97.
asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has for changes in the proposed extension of facilities at Rathcoffey national school, County Kildare; if any recent discussions have taken place with local interests; if she will allow the project to go to contract in the current year or in 1988; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The Deputy is understood to refer to observations which my Department offered to the school authorities of Rathcoffey national school, Co. Kildare, concerning revisions to their extension scheme and which included suggestions that the costings should be re-examined. The last meeting between representatives of the school and officers of my Department took place on 17 August, 1987.
Because of the pressure on the capital funds available to my Department for the national schools building programme, I am not in a position to give a time-scale for the further processing of the plans in this case or to say when building will commence or be completed.