asked the Minister for Education whether in view of the congestion at holiday resorts during the month of August in past years and the hardship inflicted on people catering for visitors by the comparative shortness of the holiday season he will consider spreading the summer vacation for primary schools over the months of June, July and August.

The vacations for national schools are, under Rule 55 of the official code, primarily a matter for the managers of the schools and I have no doubt that the periods chosen are reasonably suitable for the pupils generally. In the circumstances I see no reason for an alteration such as the Deputy suggests in the existing arrangements.