asked the Minister for Education (a) when the proposed new community school in the Bishopstown area in Cork will be completed and ready for use; (b) the number of pupils it is expected to accommodate; (c) if the school will be co-educational and, if so, the percentage of both sexes that will be accommodated; and (d) the relationship that it will have with Coláiste an Spioraid Naomh.

The proposed new school at Bishopstown is scheduled for completion in December, 1978. Part of the building, however, will be completed by September of that year to enable the first group of students to be enrolled for the school year 1978-79. When complete, the school will accommodate 600 pupils.

The school will be co-educational A 50/50 distribution of boys and girls is assured.

The new school will supplement the existing Coláiste an Spioraid Naomh and Mount Mercy Convent secondary schools in catering for the second level educational needs of the Bishopstown area.

With regard to the area from which pupils will be drawn for the new school and the two existing schools, I take it the Minister regards the area as adequate to ensure none of the three will suffer for want of pupils?

Quite definitely, yes. In fact, in some years' time it may be found that three are not even adequate if the area keeps on expanding.

Could the Minister say, though it is not part of the question, whether it will have any effect on Glasheen boys secondary school?

This is a matter of personal assessment and Deputy Lynch might be able to make as good a judgment as mine. I would think that the VEC school on the Tramore side might have more effect on the Glasheen boys national school rather than the Bishopstown school.

Would the Minister hazard a guess as to the future viability of Glasheen national school?

I hope it will continue. It is a good school.

I am glad to hear the Minister say that.