asked the Minister for Education if any progress has been made in encouraging the provision of a convent school in Swords, County Dublin.

My Department have not received any proposal regarding the provision of a convent school in Swords, County Dublin.

While the Minister may not have received the proposal I am sure he is aware that there is a large number of parents in the town who are anxious to have a convent school for their children. At the moment a large number of the children leave the town to go to school in the surrounding towns. Is there anything the Minister can do to encourage the siting of a convent school in Swords?

The Deputy is very familiar with the area and he will know that it is a very fast growing area and it will be necessary to provide additional second level educational facilities there for a number of years to come. A convent school would be a private school. If any proposal comes to me from any order of nuns or if the Deputy knows of any order of nuns who might be interested in opening a school in Swords I would be very keen to see them facilitated in every way by the Department.

Could the Minister use his good offices to try to get some convent to move into Swords? Would he take the initiative himself rather than wait for it to come from a convent?

I do not think it would be appropriate for me to do that. If any order of nuns come to me I will facilitate them in every way to set up there.