andMr. Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made in the investigations to determine the most suitable site for the proposed community school in Gweedore, County Donegal.

Officials of my Department are visiting the Gweedore area today and I anticipate having a report from them at a very early date in relation to the matter of the most suitable site for the community school.

Is the Minister aware that some weeks or months ago he indicated in the House that two if his officers would visit Gweedore in the first week of May?

I am, but unfortunately because of other commitments they were unable to get there. The Deputy will be aware they have other commitments in the area which must be examined.

Whatever other commitments they have the Minister must be aware this is the most long-standing unresolved commitment in the area. Regardless of elections or any other such things, can we hope to have from the Minister, arising from the visit of his officers, some hope that something will be done about the site for the school in Gweedore?

I will do it as soon as I possibly can depending on the information that comes back. Other people in the county are just as uncertain about their areas and although they might accept that the Gweedore claim is very strong, I do not think they would agree it should be given overall priority.

The Gweedore school project is not only long-standing but under the law there has been a departmental commitment, an agreement. The agreement involved two other community schools, and all three, including Gweedore, were to be started simultaneously, be of the same type and quality, be available for the same type of courses.

Could we have brief questions?

Gweedore, which was to be an all-Gaelic school is still——

The Deputy is making a speech.

There is a site which is totally unsuitable and the Department seem to say "You can have any site you like"——

I shall have to call the next question if the Deputy continues on these lines.

I think the Deputy has isolated the kernel of the problem, the dispute over the suitability of the site. That is why the matter has not been resolved sooner and why the inspectors from my Department are in Donegal at present.

Would the Minister take a look at the law under which the agreement was made with the vocational education committee in Donegal who have a community school in Gweedore? What has he to say about the manner in which the Department and the Government have flouted the law in regard to that agreement they made——

I want to deal with other questions also.

There can be other questions but there is only the one school as far as the biggest Gaeltacht in Ireland is concerned.

Question No. 9.

The Deputy understands very well the problems which have arisen in regard to this school.

9.

andMr. Keaveney asked the Minister for Education when he expects the reconstruction and repair of Coxstown national school, County Donegal, to be completed.

A grant has been sanctioned by my Department towards the cost of extending and up-dating Coxtown national school.

I understand from the Commissioners of Public Works that the detailed working drawings and specifications have been completed. Bills of quantities are now being prepared and, when these are completed and approved, the commissioners will be in a position to invite tenders for the work.

It is not feasible at this stage to give a date for the completion of the scheme of extension to the school.

In view of the fact that a very active and enthusiastic parents and fund raising committee has been doing excellent work there for some considerable time, and due to their disenchantment with unfulfilled promises, will the Minister now assure them, in order to keep them raising the money which is required for their contribution, that things are moving and will continue to move with the greatest possible expedition, and that this work will start this summer in order that they may have some relief from their problems during next winter?

Without accepting the implications about the tardiness of the Department in the Deputy's question. I can certainly assure him that they will move very fast.

When can we expect that this will start?

The bills of quantity are with the quantity surveyor at the moment. He is unable to say when he will be finished with them, but when he is finished the work will go to tender immediately, and generally it takes about three months after that before the work commences.

Could I ask the Minister very specially in this case to ensure that his Department get in touch with the quantity surveyor to speed him up in the matter?

They have already done that.

10.

andMr. Keaveney asked the Minister for Education whether any progress has been made towards the provision of a new national school at Drumkeen, County Donegal.

As I stated in my reply on 24th March last the Commissioners of Public Works have been asked to furnish a report on the feasibility of adapting and extending the existing Drumkeen national school to provide additional accommodation as an alternative to the erection of an entirely new school. The commissions have indicated that an inspection of the school will be necessary and that it is intended to carry out this inspection at an early date.

Is the Minister aware that the present school and site are totally inadequate, that the site is extremely dangerous and that there is no point in the Department wasting time seeking to reconstruct and extend the school? It is just an abomination and cannot ever be anything else.

There is an excellent site available just beside the church, and the Minister and his Department should go after it before it is snapped up for some other purpose.

The Commissioners of Public Works are inspecting the school and will furnish a report on it. I understand that at this stage their information is not the same as the Deputy's that they consider it to be possible to extend the existing school rather than provide an entirely new school. However, if their report comes down in favour of a new school, then it will be provided.

Might I ask the Minister to ensure that his Department take a very careful look at the total unsuitability of this site? It is absolutely crazy to spend another penny on it.

The Deputy will understand that in matters such as this our experts would be the Commissioners of Public Works.

Under the direction of the Minister's proposition——

Question No. 11