Michael Bell
Ceist:135 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education the present situation regarding Scoil Aonghusa, Drogheda, County Louth and the purchase of the CBS School, Sunday's Gate, Drogheda, County Louth.
Written Answers. - County Louth Schools.
The process of examining the question of the acquisition of the St. Joseph's secondary school property from the Christian Brothers for use by Scoil Aonghusa, Drogheda is at an advanced stage. My Department expect to be able to make a decision in the matter in the near future.
Michael Bell
Ceist:136 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that St. Patrick's national school, Bóthar Brugha, Drogheda, County Louth has lost one teacher on transfer and could lose another on the same basis, leaving the pupil/teacher ratio at 1:39; to the fact that this school is catering for a very large proportion of children who come from an area of very high unemployment and low income families; if she will designate the school in the category of disadvantaged areas and thereby restore the status quo; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The following are the enrolments for the school: at 30 September 1987, 508; at 30 September 1988, 471; at 30 September 1989, 431.
The staff situation at the school has been examined and my Department are satisfied that the school is not in breach of the guidelines on staffing in national schools as determined in accordance with the agreement between the Government and the INTO under the Programme for National Recovery. The authorised staffing for this school for the 1989-90 school year is principal plus 13 assistants plus remedial teacher.
The average class size based on the existing staffing is 33.2.
Michael Bell
Ceist:137 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education when funds will be made available for the provision of a gym/sports hall at Dún Lughaidh Secondary School, Dundalk, County Louth.
The funding of all post-primary building projects is dependent on the availability of capital resources and on my Department's other commitments and priorities.
In recent years it has been necessary to commit the available resources to the provision of the most urgently needed classroom accommodation. In the circumstances I am not in a position at present to indicate when funds will be available to provide a grant towards the cost of a physical education hall at Dún Lughaidh Secondary School, Dundalk, County Louth.