asked the Minister for Education if he will state, in relation to each of the following schools; (1) Maria Assumpta secondary school, Gardiner Street, Dublin, (2) the Dominican secondary school, Eccles Street, Dublin, and (3) the Holy Faith Convent secondary school, Dominick Street, Dublin, (a) the number of pupils in each of the last three years; (b) the number of staff in receipt of incremental salaries in each of the last three years; (c) the amount of money paid to teachers in each school for incremental salaries and posts of responsibility in 1976-77; (d) the amount of money paid to each school by the Department by way of capital building or equipment grants or loans in the last 15 years; if any conditions or guarantees were required from the schools in relation to such grants or loans; and, if so, the conditions or guarantees.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle statistical information is given in the form of a tabular statement in relation to the number of pupils in each of the schools on 30 September 1975, 1976 and 1977, the number of teachers in receipt of incremental salary in the school years 1974-5, 1975-6 and 1976-7 and the total amount paid by way of incremental salary in the case of each of the schools in the school year 1976-7.

No capital grants were paid to two of the three schools under the secondary school building grants scheme. In the case of Dominican Convent secondary school, Eccles Street, grants in the order of a total of £5,000 were paid towards the cost of minor works. In the circumstances no conditions or guarantees were applicable.

Following is the statement:

The total amount paid by way of incremental salaries to the staffs of each of the schools, including allowances in respect of posts of responsibility, was of the following order:

If no capital funds were given to two of the three schools and this sum of £5,000 was given without condition to the third school for building works, does the Minister therefore consider that he has no responsibility in regard to ensuring the continuation in operation of these schools?

I have strongly expressed the desirability of the retention of the school in question, to which this small grant for minor works was made but I want to put it on record that it is, in fact, a private school and as far as I am concerned the people who own the school have the same right to sell it as the Deputy has to sell his own house.

Is the Minister aware that no public money has gone into my house——

I doubt that; it must be a very big one.

—and that a considerable amount of public money has gone directly and indirectly to this school? Is the Minister satisfied with the situation that people have the right to sell a school in the same way as they would sell a private house?

The Minister is neither satisfied nor complacent. He is determined to provide, in whichever type of school, enough places for the students who need them in the city of Dublin and in the country in general.

I wish to ask the permission of the Chair to raise the subject matter of Question No. 9 on the Adjournment.

I shall communicate with the Deputy.

12.