Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 19 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 5

Written Answers - Schools Refurbishment.

Seamus Brennan

Ceist:

159 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide funding for a physical education facility at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 16 which caters for significant pockets of disadvantage in its catchment area, which has over 500 pupils enrolled and which was built over 17 years ago without any provision for that part of the curriculum; if her Department has provided a diagramatic model of a particular facility which was planned for the school; her policy on the provision of such facilities in schools catering for disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7479/97]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

It is the policy of my Department to provide PE halls on a phased basis as resources permit to all schools which do not already have them. The question of providing physical education facilities at the school in question can only be considered in the context of the capital available for post-primary building purposes generally. Because of the huge demand for additional classroom accommodation in schools throughout the country, I am not in a position at this stage to say when physical education facilities will be provided in this particular case. However, should financial circumstances permit, the school will be given every consideration.