Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993

Vol. 427 No. 6

Written Answers. - School Projects.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

287 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that a commitment given by her predecessor to a secondary school (details supplied) to proceed with a school extension will now be honoured, especially in view of the facts that the school is disadvantaged, has a special remedial class, has given a room for technological use, has inadequate toilet facilities, and that there are pupils on the waiting list for three years with no places in the same type of school in the vicinity.

Chris Flood

Ceist:

288 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in providing additional classroom accommodation for the Assumption Secondary School, Walkinstown, Dublin 12; and if she will ensure that the classrooms in question are provided for September 1993 in order to meet the need for second level school places for students from the Tallaght, Dublin 24 area.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

303 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if she intends to give permission to the Sisters of Charity in the Assumption Secondary School, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, so as to allow these sisters to build their extension for which tenders were submitted to her Department in December, 1992 and for which agreement had been obtained from her two predecessors.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 287, 288 and 303 together.

It has not been possible to include the project in Assumption Secondary School in the 1993 second level capital programme because of other demands deemed to be of a higher priority which had to take precedence. However the proposed new accommodation is not designed to increase the school's overall capacity but to provide improved facilities to meet long term needs.

The position in relation to this project and to the increased level of applications for places in the school in September next which would increase the overall pupil numbers in the school in 1993-94 was discussed at a meeting held on Friday last by senior officials of my Department with the school authorities and a number of alternative suggestions were proposed for consideration.

The main concern of my Department in relation to accommodation needs in urban areas is that adequate places are available in accessible schools which may not always be in the school of first choice.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

289 D'fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Oideachais an gceadóidh sí iarratas ar sheomraí ranga breise agus áiseanna eile do Ghairmscoil Lán-Ghaelach Bhaile an Átha Mór sa Ghaeltacht Láir i nDún na nGall.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

290 D'fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Oideachais an gceadóidh sí iarratas do sheomraí ranga breise do Ghairmscoil Árainn Mhór i nDún na nGall.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

308 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if, having regard to the accommodation problems at Ballinamore and Arranmore Island Vocational School, she will reconsider her decision not to fund the building of additional rooms for both schools, in 1993.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 289, 290 and 308 together.

Major building projects are currently under construction at Arranmore Island and Ballinamore Vocational Schools. An application from County Donegal Vocational Education Committee for the inclusion of additional accommodation in the contracts has not been acceded to due to current demands on available resources. However, the request will be examined further in the light of enrolment trends and the educational needs of both schools during the coming school year.

Austin Deasy

Ceist:

291 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education the present position regarding the provision of a suitable premises for a school (details supplied) in County Waterford.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

296 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education when work will start on the provision of a new building for Scoil Gharbháin in Dungarvan, County Waterford, in view of the conditions under which the school functions at present.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 296 together.

The present position is that tenders have been received in my Department for the building of a new school on a site purchased for the purpose by my Department in January 1992. Because of other demands deemed to be of higher priority which had to take precedence it was not possible to include this project in the national schools capital programme for 1993. It will continue to be considered as a priority project for inclusion in the programme as soon as financial resources allow.

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

292 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide Killinarden Community School with a sports hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

Due to demands on the capital resources available, priority has been given for some time to the provision of essential teaching spaces. As a result, it is not possible to make funding available at this stage for the provision of physical education facilities at existing schools without such facilities including the school in question.

However, physical education facilities are provided in all major new school developments.

The provision of indoor sports accommodation in existing schools, in the form of a general purpose area at primary level and a hall at secondary level, will resume as soon as pressure on available resources for urgent classroom accommodation has eased. In the meantime, additional emphasis is being placed on the siting and common use of school and community recreational facilities and schools should make maximum use of other sports facilites in their area.

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

293 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education if she has authorised the entering into contract for the necessary extension and alterations to Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; if the maximum grant has been approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

It has not been possible to include the proposed extension at Coláiste Bríde in the 1993 Second Level Capital Programme because of other demands deemed to be of higher priority which had to take precedence. It will continue to be considered for inclusion in the programme in the light of available resources and other commitments and priorities.

The grant aid being allowed is the standard rate of 90 per cent of the approved building cost.